China has pledged one hundred million Renminbi (RMB) in new development assistance to Liberia, marking a strong opening to bilateral relations in 2026 and reinforcing the growing China–Liberia Strategic Partnership. The commitment was made on Friday, January 9, 2026, when Chinese Ambassador Yin Chengwu and Liberian Foreign Minister signed a Development Cooperation Agreement in Monrovia.
Under the agreement, the Chinese government will finance projects jointly agreed upon by both countries and aligned with Liberia’s national development priorities, including President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s ARREST Agenda. Speaking at the signing ceremony, Ambassador Yin described the agreement as a concrete outcome of the consensus reached between President Xi Jinping and President Boakai during their 2024 meeting in Beijing, which elevated bilateral relations to a strategic partnership.
He said signing the deal at the beginning of the year sends a “positive and powerful signal” for China–Liberia relations in 2026. “This agreement reflects China’s high regard for our strategic partnership and our sincerity in supporting Liberia’s long-term development, expressing confidence that the funding would make a “stable and lasting contribution” to Liberia’s economic and social progress,” Ambassador Yin said.
The new financing builds on a growing portfolio of Chinese-supported projects in Liberia, including the recent handover of China-aided police supplies, food assistance, and ongoing infrastructure works such as the two overpass bridges on Tubman Boulevard. According to him, the initiatives aim to strengthening Liberia’s development capacity while delivering visible benefits to ordinary citizens.
Ambassador Yin also linked the agreement to the broader outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), noting that China’s upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan will emphasize high-quality development and expanded global cooperation. “As China advances high-standard opening-up, new opportunities will emerge for mutually beneficial cooperation with Liberia, pledging continued collaboration grounded in sincerity, practical results, and shared interests,” he said. With the signing of the agreement, both governments expressed optimism that China–Liberia cooperation will enter a new phase in 2026, one focused on infrastructure, livelihoods, and long-term national development.
