From January 23 to 25, 2018, Assistant Foreign Minister Chen Xiaodong visited Sierra Leone, during which he paid a courtesy call on President Ernest Bai Koroma and met with Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Kaifala Marah, exchanging in-depth views on bilateral relations as well as international and regional issues of common concern.

Chen Xiaodong expressed that China and Sierra Leone share profound traditional friendship. In recent years, under the common care and promotion of President Xi Jinping and President Ernest Bai Koroma, China-Sierra Leone relations have been developing rapidly. In 2016, President Ernest Bai Koroma paid a successful visit to China, during which the two heads of state jointly established China-Sierra Leone comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, charting the course for the development of bilateral relations. China is willing to work with Sierra Leone to push the friendship between the two countries for constant inheritance and development. As the summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) will be held in China this year, China is willing to make joint efforts with the African side, including Sierra Leone, to ensure the summit a complete success.

Sierra Leone expressed its appreciation to China for offering precious support for a long period of time, especially during the fight against Ebola. At the moment, China-Sierra Leone relations are at their best in history, with cooperation in various fields constantly being deepened. The Belt and Road Initiative, put forward by President Xi Jinping, is conducive to advancing connectivity, openness and inclusiveness of the world and provides enormous opportunities for other countries to accelerate development. Attaching great importance to the FOCAC summit in 2018, Sierra Leone stands ready to coordinate closely with China to well host the grand meeting, in a bid to elevate China-Africa relations to a new stage.