By Alex Yomah
The New Chinese Ambassador accredited to Liberia, Yin Chengwu, paid a courtesy visit to Youth and Sports Minister, J. Cole Bangalu, at his Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex Office in Paynesville.
The hour-long visit was an introductory encounter between the new Chinese ambassador and the newly appointed Minister of Youth and Sports.
At the acquaintance table, Amb. Chengwu congratulated Minister Bangalu on his preferment as Minister of Youth and Sports by President Boakai.
The Chinese Government has maintained a steadfast and enduring partnership with the Ministry of Youth and Sports for an extended period.
Extending a warm welcome to the Chinese Ambassador, Minister Bangalu emphasized that the present administration, led by President Boakai, was elected based on the principles of integrity, credibility, and accountability.
As the Minister of Youth and Sports, he reiterated his commitment to upholding these principles as a fundamental obligation.
Minister Bangalu recounted China and Liberia’s long-standing relationship, citing the infrastructure and human resource development that China has provided to Liberia over the years.
He stated that the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Stadium owes much to the support of China.
As a result, the country has gained the capability to host international matches and extend the facility’s use to neighboring nations for their international fixtures, a capability previously unavailable.
The Youth and Sports boss further reflected on additional contributions of the Chinese Government to Liberia in the construction of the new Monrovia Vocational Training Center complex as an added advantage to the Technical Vocational Education and Training sub-sector of the country.
Others he recounted were the numerous Chinese scholarships that young Liberians have and continue to benefit from, with some beneficiaries, especially youths, already making enormous contributions to the Liberian society.
Minister Bangalu conveyed additional concerns to the Chinese Ambassador regarding the Samuel Kanyon Doe Sports Complex (SKD) facility.
He explained that due to the new regulations imposed by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and FIFA, which mandate a transition from analog to digital lighting systems at the SKD, Liberia faces a significant obstacle in hosting night games.
The current analog lighting system does not meet the updated standards, posing challenges to the Ministry and the government.
Furthermore, Minister Bangalu emphasized the importance of addressing the needs of a vulnerable demographic known as “At-Risk Youth”, as part of the government’s efforts to rehabilitate and reintegrate them into society.
He highlighted the ongoing efforts to detoxify and provide rehabilitation services tailored to their unique circumstances.
The Youth and Sports Boss wants China to help the Ministry as they roll out programs to provide vocational skills training to young Liberians.
Ambassador Chengwu emphasized his country’s deep regard for the bilateral relationship between Liberia and China, highlighting China’s significant gesture of sending its highest envoy in the past two decades to President Boakai’s inauguration ceremony on January 22, 2024.
The Chinese diplomat disclosed that Liberia and China’s relationship is developing and gaining momentum, as both countries need to improve and strengthen the bilateral relationship.
The Chinese Ambassador said that his President and Boakai are good friends, and their friendship goes back to when they were both Vice presidents.
“President Boakai visited Xi Jinping and they made a lot of exchanges,” he noted.
In the meantime, Ambassador Chengwu, on behalf of the Embassy, invited a group of youthful Liberians to partake in the Second Belt and Road International Skills Competition.
This event, organized by the Chinese Government, is slated for June 24 to 26, 2024, in Chongqing, China.
According to the communication, the competition will cover 18 skills, such as Electronics, Maintenance and Repair, Logistics, and Freight Forwarding. Others are IT installation and Configuration, among others.
The competition will be a grand international celebration of skills and will contribute to the high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.
