Mutual trust between China, Sierra Leone elevated in COVID-19 fight: Chinese FM

The mutual trust between China and Sierra Leone has been further consolidated and elevated in the two countries' cooperative fight against the COVID-19 epidemic, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Friday.

File photo taken on Dec. 10, 2014 shows that medical members receive training from a medical team of China's People's Liberation Army, to fight against Ebola disease at a hospital in Freetown, capital of Sierra Leone. [Photo/Xinhua]

He made the remarks in a phone conversation with Sierra Leonean Foreign Minister Nabeela Tunis, noting that China and Sierra Leone are good friends that share weal and woe and have always supported each other firmly.

Recalling the Ebola outbreak in West Africa in 2014, Wang said that China took the lead in offering help and fought against the virus with its African brothers and sisters side by side.

Facing the present COVID-19 epidemic, the Chinese and the Sierra Leonean people have once again got united and been cooperating and helping each other, hence further consolidated and elevated the friendship and mutual trust between the two countries, Wang said.

For the time being, the global epidemic situation remains grim, Wang said, adding that China is ready to continue to provide Sierra Leone with urgently needed anti-epidemic supplies and technical support and to carry out medical cooperation to fight against the epidemic.

China is also ready to sign agreement with Sierra Leone as soon as possible on implementing the Debt Service Suspension Initiative (DSSI) within the G20 framework, accelerate bilateral cooperation projects and help Sierra Leone resume work and production and recover the economy, Wang added.

Noting that next year marks the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic ties between China and Sierra Leone, Wang proposed the two sides soundly plan for future cooperation and promote the bilateral relations constantly to higher levels.

Wang pointed out that under the pandemic's impact, the uncertainty of the international situation has become more prominent. Unilateral bullying undermines international solidarity and politicizing the epidemic will only do harm to others and oneself, he added.

China is willing to work with African countries, including Sierra Leone, to safeguard international laws and the authority of the United Nations, and secure international equity and justice as well as the common interests and legitimate development rights of developing countries.

For her part, Tunis sincerely appreciated China's long-term assistance to Sierra Leone, noting the support from China is very important.

China is a reliable partner, she said, adding that Sierra Leone cherishes the traditional friendship with China and has been consistently supporting China's righteous stance.

The friendship between Sierra Leone and China enjoys the public support and the strong effective cooperation between the two countries can defeat any challenge, Tunis said.

In recent years, the cooperation between the two sides has borne fruits and their consensuses have been actively implemented, both demonstrating the high-level Sierra Leone-China relationship, the African minister said.

Sierra Leone is willing to take the opportunity of the 50th anniversary of the two countries' diplomatic ties to deepen the bilateral exchange and cooperation in all areas, and create a milestone of their bilateral relationship.

The two sides also exchanged views over the international and regional issues of common concern.