The Republic of Liberia is a country of beautiful scenery and rich resources. In January of last year, I attended the inaugural ceremony of President Johnson-Sirleaf as the special envoy of Chinese President Hu Jintao. It was an important moment in the history of Liberia, marking the end of the political transition and the beginning of a new period of peace and development. Over the past year and more, under the leadership of President Johnson-Sirleaf, the Government and people of Liberia have endeavored to uphold peace and stability and rebuild the economy and made continuous progress in national development.
The Chinese and Liberian peoples enjoy deep friendship despite the long distance between the two countries. In recent years, China-Liberia relations have registered fast growth, marked by regular high-level mutual visits and fruitful cooperation in political, economic, trade, cultural, education and public health fields as well as close cooperation in international affairs. China has sent around 600 peace keepers to the United Nations Mission in Liberia, contributing to the peace process and economic reconstruction of Liberia.
President Johnson-Sirleaf visited China in late October and early November last year, during which she reached broad agreement with Chinese President Hu Jintao and other Chinese leaders on growing Liberia's relations with China in the new century. In February this year, President Hu Jintao will pay a state visit to Liberia, the first visit ever to be paid by the head of state of China to Liberia. I am sure this visit will increase mutual understanding and friendship, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and lift our bilateral relations to a higher level.
As we all know, the friendly exchanges between China and Africa have a long history of more than 2,000 years. In more than half a century since the inauguration of their diplomatic relations in 1956, China and Africa have, supporting each other and sharing weal and woe in their struggle for liberation and sovereignty, forged a profound friendship. Treating each other as equals, the two sides have conducted amicable cooperation for common development and achieved remarkable progress in their respective pursuit of national and economic development. I was posted in Africa for 10 years. As China's foreign minister, I always make Africa the destination of my first overseas visit in the new year, and each time I returned to Africa, I was greatly encouraged by its new progress and the deepening friendship and cooperation between China and Africa. At the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation held in November 2006, China and Africa established a new type of strategic partnership featuring political equality and mutual trust, economic win-win cooperation and cultural exchange, and the Chinese President announced eight measures to enhance practical cooperation with Africa, bringing China-Africa friendship to a new level.
China is the biggest developing country, and Africa is home to the largest number of developing countries. To strengthen friendly cooperation, share development opportunities and meet challenges together serves the fundamental interests of both sides and contributes to world peace and development. China is ready to work closely with African countries to implement the decisions made at the Beijing Summit, enhance the new type China-Africa strategic partnership and create an even brighter future for China-Africa relations.