On May 22, 2003, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing sent a letter to H. E. Mr. Eleih - Elle Etian, Cameroonian Ambassador to China and the head of the African diplomatic corps in China, and thanked African diplomatic missions for their donation to support the Chinese government's fight against SARS.

In the letter, Li warmly praised the decision by the African diplomatic corps to cancel the celebrations of "African Liberation Day" in Beijing as there is outbreak of SARS in China and donate the RMB 30,000 Yuan of activity fee to the Chinese government for the fight against the epidemic. He pointed out that the act of friendship fully shows the fraternity between China and African countries going through thick and thin together.

Li also congratulated African diplomatic corps and African countries on "African Liberation Day".