By G. Bennie Bravo Johnson
China on Thursday, January 9, 2026, reinforced its growing development partnership with Liberia by signing a new Development Cooperation Agreement that commits 100 million Renminbi (RMB) to jointly agreed projects aligned with Liberia’s national priorities, marking another major boost to bilateral relations between the two countries.
Speaking at the signing ceremony in Monrovia, Chinese Ambassador to Liberia, Yin Chengwu, described the agreement as “another new agreement between our two countries in the field of development cooperation,” following a similar accord signed in March 2025. He said the timing of the agreement—at the start of the new year—was deliberate and symbolic.
“It is my firm belief that signing such an important agreement at the very beginning of the new year will set a positive tone for China-Liberia relations in the year ahead,” Ambassador Yin said.
The ceremony was attended by Foreign Affairs Minister Sara Beysolow Nyanti, Acting Finance and Development Planning Minister Anthony Myers, senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and members of the media.
Ambassador Yin emphasized that the agreement is a direct outcome of the consensus reached by Presidents Xi Jinping and Joseph Nyuma Boakai, as well as the resolutions of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). He recalled that in 2024, the two leaders met in Beijing and officially elevated China-Liberia relations to a Strategic Partnership, creating what he described as “broader prospects for our cooperation.”
“Under the strategic guidance of our two Heads of State, strategic mutual trust between China and Liberia has been further consolidated, practical cooperation has steadily deepened, and people-to-people exchanges have grown ever closer,” he noted.
According to the Chinese envoy, the new agreement underscores China’s “high regard for our Strategic Partnership and our sincerity in advancing China-Liberia relations,” expressing hope that the funding will make “a long-term and stable contribution to the development of Liberia.”
The ambassador highlighted that the deal comes amid a series of recent Chinese-supported initiatives in Liberia, including the handover of China-aid police supplies, a new batch of food assistance, and the ongoing construction of the Two Overpass Bridges on Tubman Boulevard.
“These projects have made tangible contributions to enhancing Liberia’s development capacity,” Ambassador Yin said, adding that the new agreement carries “the profound goodwill of the Chinese people in supporting the Liberian people on their path toward development and prosperity.”
He further disclosed that the projects to be financed under the agreement will be aligned with Liberia’s development frameworks, including President Boakai’s ARREST Agenda, and will focus on initiatives that directly benefit ordinary Liberians.
“It will be directed toward areas that benefit ordinary people, strengthen development foundations, and create long-term value,” he said. “We believe this agreement will inject new impetus into Liberia’s national development and improvement of people’s livelihoods.”
Looking ahead, Ambassador Yin linked the agreement to China’s broader global development outlook, noting that 2026 marks the beginning of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, which prioritizes high-quality development and high-standard opening-up.
“This will bring more opportunities and create new prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Liberia, and other countries across the world,” he stated.
He reaffirmed China’s commitment to its Africa policy principles of sincerity, real results, affinity, and good faith, as well as pursuing “greater good and shared interests,” while pledging continued collaboration with Liberia to implement FOCAC outcomes.
“We aim to deliver more tangible benefits to our two peoples, elevate China-Liberia relations to new heights, and contribute to building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era,” Ambassador Yin concluded.
The newly signed agreement further cements China’s role as a key development partner to Liberia at a time when the Boakai administration is seeking increased international cooperation to accelerate economic recovery, infrastructure development, and social transformation.
