By Abdulai Fofanah
Freetown, 21st September, 2026 – Sierra Leone’s trade with China has recorded a sharp 38 percent year‑on‑year increase in the first half of 2026, driven by Beijing’s zero‑tariff policy for African imports.
Speaking at the 55th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, Chinese Ambassador to Sierra Leone, Zhao Yong, said the policy has opened new opportunities for Sierra Leonean exporters while deepening bilateral economic ties. “China is committed to working with Sierra Leone to fully unleash the dividends of the zero‑tariff policy and continuously inject new impetus into our comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership,” he stated.
China’s broader economic performance underpins this engagement. In the first half of 2026, China’s GDP reached US$10.25 trillion, expanding by 4.7 percent year‑on‑year. Foreign trade hit a historic US$3.75 trillion, up 16.9 percent. Exports of the “new three” electric vehicles, lithium batteries, and solar cells grew 45.8 percent, while emerging sectors such as robotics, artificial intelligence, and innovative medicines also surged. China now holds 60 percent of global AI patents, underscoring its technological dominance.
Ambassador Zhao highlighted that China has signed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) cooperation documents with more than 150 countries, including Sierra Leone, delivering infrastructure and trade benefits. On May 1, 2026, China became the first major economy to implement unilateral, full‑coverage zero‑tariff treatment for imports from 53 African countries.
Beyond trade, Zhao noted that Chinese medical teams have provided over one million medical services in Sierra Leone, while 130 Sierra Leonean students secured scholarships this year and more than 530 professionals undertook short‑term training in China.
Sierra Leone’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jeneba J. Bangura, praised China’s transformation as “one of the most consequential economic and social developments of the modern era,” citing its eradication of extreme poverty and rise as a global manufacturing and innovation hub. She emphasized that Sierra Leone welcomes deeper cooperation under the BRI and the Global Development Initiative, building on agreements signed during President Julius Maada Bio’s 2024 state visit to Beijing.
Bangura added that Sierra Leone values China’s vision of an equal and orderly multipolar world and supports greater representation for developing countries in global governance. “Sierra Leone is committed to working with China to translate our political understanding into practical outcomes that improve the lives of our citizens,” she said.
The anniversary celebration underscored how trade, education, health, and infrastructure cooperation have become pillars of the China–Sierra Leone relationship, positioning the partnership as a model of China–Africa solidarity in the new era.
