The newly appointed Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone, H.E. Zhao Yong, has arrived in Freetown, signaling a renewed push to deepen relations as the two countries approach the 55th anniversary of their diplomatic ties in 2026.
Ambassador Zhao, the 18th Chinese envoy to Sierra Leone, was welcomed at the airport by Mr. Umaru Conteh, Acting Director of the Department of Asian and Middle East Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. Also on hand were Minister Counsellor Mr. Zhang Dianbin and other senior diplomats from the Chinese Embassy.
Speaking on arrival, Ambassador Zhao said he was honoured to take up his new role and pointed to what he described as a solid foundation of political trust between Beijing and Freetown, built under the leadership of President Xi Jinping and President Julius Maada Bio.
He noted that cooperation in multiple fields has already delivered results, from development projects to international coordination, while people-to-people exchanges have helped keep relations “at a high level.”
Looking ahead, Ambassador Zhao highlighted 2026 as a significant milestone, marking 55 years since China and Sierra Leone established diplomatic relations. He expressed optimism about working closely with Sierra Leonean partners to further advance the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership between the two countries.
Welcoming the Ambassador, Mr. Conteh said the Government of Sierra Leone attaches great importance to its long-standing friendship with China. He reaffirmed Sierra Leone’s commitment to strengthening ties and said the government is keen to achieve “new milestones” in bilateral cooperation.
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The Ambassador’s arrival is expected to open a new chapter in the relationship, with both sides signalling readiness to build on past achievements as the anniversary year approaches.
