Liberia Seeks Greater Access to Chinese Market for Local Products
By Lazota Bility
Liberia is seeking greater access to the Chinese market for local products as the government works to deepen economic cooperation with China and create more opportunities for Liberian farmers, producers, and businesses.
Liberia’s Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, Amb. Ethel Davis, speaking on behalf of President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, said Liberia values its longstanding relationship with China and wants to see greater opportunities for Liberian products to reach the Chinese market.
“We seek access for Liberian products in the Chinese market,” Davis said, emphasizing the importance of cooperation that delivers meaningful benefits to citizens of both countries.
She made the call on Tuesday, September 29, 2026, during an official Chinese National Day Reception at the Chinese Embassy in Liberia, commemorating the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
The call comes as China continues to expand market access for African products, including through its zero-tariff treatment for products from African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations.
Speaking at the reception, Chinese Chargé d’Affaires in Liberia, Fan Erwei, said China’s full implementation of zero-tariff treatment for Liberian products has contributed to increased trade between the two countries.
Fan said bilateral trade in goods reached a new high during the first eight months of 2026, registering a year-on-year increase of 16 %.
He also announced that Liberia’s first batch of dried chili peppers for export to China had been successfully harvested, describing it as a new development in efforts to expand Liberia’s agricultural exports to the Chinese market.
According to him China has extended zero-tariff treatment to 53 African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations.
And will always regarded Liberia as a good friend and partner, noting that the two countries have continued to strengthen political and economic cooperation.
Fan said Liberia has officially signed the International Organization for Mediation Convention and has consistently upheld the One-China principle while supporting China on multilateral issues.
He added that China has supported Liberia in fulfilling its responsibilities as a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.
Adding that China continues to support Liberia’s development priorities, including the government’s ARREST Agenda.
He highlighted several Chinese-supported projects in Liberia, including the construction of two overpass bridges on Tubman Boulevard, the National Clinical Diagnosis and Treatment Laboratory, the completed and handed-over Liberia Broadcasting System building, and the arrival of the first batch of modern agricultural machinery provided through Chinese assistance.
The strengthening of trade and economic cooperation comes after Liberia and China elevated their bilateral relationship to a strategic partnership in September 2024.
The strategic partnership was announced during a meeting between President Joseph Nyuma Boakai and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit in Beijing.
The two countries agreed to deepen practical cooperation in areas including infrastructure, agriculture, and maritime transport.
Meanwhile, Speaker of the House of Representatives Richard Nagbe Koon said Liberia joins China in celebrating the country’s transformation and progress over the years.
Speaker Koon said the partnership between Liberia and China has produced tangible results in several areas, including agriculture and infrastructure.
He said Liberia looks forward to further strengthening the relationship between the two countries and deepening people-to-people ties in the years ahead.
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