By: James Kamara-Manneh
In the just concluded 4th Information Salon organized by the Chinese Embassy in Sierra Leone last week the Chargé d affairs of the Chinese Embassy, Li Xiaoyong on behalf of the People’s Republic of China heaped praises on Sierra Leone for its enormous support of the one-China policy.
During his statement, he said China is grateful to Sierra Leone to have voted in favor of Resolution N.2758, which restored all rights to the People’s Republic of China and recognized the representatives of its government as the only legitimate representatives of China to the United Nations since October 1971 during the 26th session of the United Nation General Assembly.
He added that the one-China principle has become the consensus of the international community and a basic norm in international relations.
Since the Resolution was taken, Sierra Leone together with 181 countries around the world, including the US, has established diplomatic relations with China based on the one-China principle.
“We are grateful also that since then Sierra Leone’s government always persists on One-China principle and in many international fora has given us strong support” he reiterated.
Li Xiaoyong made this statement concerning the recent visit of the United States Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi visit to the Taiwan region despite China’s firm opposition and strong position, sending a very wrong signal to “Taiwan independence” separatist forces.
He cajoles the Sierra Leonean audience into believing that there is only one China in the world, Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory, and the government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China.
He said that China will continue to uphold the principles of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith and the principle of pursuing the greater good and shared interests in its cooperation with Sierra Leone.
He also said China published a White Paper titled, “The Taiwan Question and China’s Reunification in the New Era,” before Pelosi’s visit.
The White Paper, according to him, reiterates the fact that Taiwan is part of China demonstrates the resolve of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Chinese people and their commitment to national reunification and emphasizes the position and policies of the CPC and the Chinese Government in the new era.
Mr. Li stated that peaceful Cross-Strait reunification is of benefit not only to the Chinese nation but to all peoples and the international community as a whole.
He pointed out how China and Sierra Leone are time-honored friends maintaining that China highly appreciates the Sierra Leonean government’s long-time support for the one-China principle furthering that the Embassy is thanking all sectors of the Sierra Leonean society for their understanding of China’s position.
However, the Director General of Sierra Leone’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Madam Victoria Sulimani, on behalf of the Government expressed firm commitment towards the One-China Principle as enshrined by the UN Resolution 2758.
She emphasized that Sierra Leone has a strong and long-standing relationship with the People’s Republic of China dating beyond the 1970s.
She revealed that recently the Foreign Ministers of both countries expressed satisfaction with the relationship between China and Sierra Leone noting that the government of Sierra Leone appreciated the support of China on the construction of the Foreign Service Academy, the renovation of the National Stadium and other projects that have been funded by the Chinese Government.
