Paynesville – Chinese Ambassador to Liberia Fu Jijun says his country is committed to supporting Liberia’s Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development (PAPD).
Ambassador Fu gave the assurance during the official handing-over ceremony of the Paynesville Community Park on Monday, July 22, to the city government of Paynesville.
“I am very delighted to participate in the handover ceremony of the newly constructed basketball court along with the fully equipped children playground representing many good results of the friendship and collaboration between China and Liberia,” the top Chinese diplomat in Liberia said.
“As China’s Ambassador to Liberia, I would like to assure you that it is my job to make every effort to deepen the collaboration between our two countries, enhance the friendship between our two peoples and bring more benefits to the peoples of China and Liberia.”
Ambassador Fu added that despite the many challenges confronting the two countries, China will continue to invest in the economy of the country.
“The Chinese government and people will firmly fulfill their commitment to support the development initiatives of the Liberian government and the people in their Pro-Poor Agenda for Prosperity and Development and promote the China-Liberia friendship and collaboration to a higher level,” he added.
The Chinese diplomat referenced the Electronic Billboard at the Executive Pavilion, Congo Town Back Road Park, and the construction of several road projects as evidence of his country’s support to Liberia.
“The Chinese government further demonstrated this commitment with the signing of agreements that will see the construction of two overhead flyover bridges valued around US$30 Million to help ease the heavy traffic congestion around the SKD Stadium and the newly constructed Ministerial Complex on the Tubman Boulevard,” Ambassador Jijun said.
The Chinese diplomat also gave a basketball along with some decorative materials as gifts to the PCC.
Also speaking, Paynesville City Mayor, E. Pam Belcher-Taylor lauded the Chinese government for the recreation center, while praising her predecessor for initiating the project.
However, she expressed disappointment over the destruction of some parts of the recreation center by some residents of the city immediately after its completion.
“I also would like to say to the residents of Paynesville, it was so disheartening that when the basketball court was completed, it was vandalized,”Mayor Belcher-Taylor said.
“This is not what we subscribed to here in the City of Paynesville, and I ask all the good citizens to just teach your children how to respect the rules of the land, how to be respectful of others because we are trying to do here is to mold our future.”
She admonished residents of Paynesville to work along with the city cooperation to protect the park for the children of the city.
“We are asking everyone to put their hands around us and let see how we can have a wholesome, safe society for our children here in Paynesville,” she added.
At the same time, the Mayor pleaded with the Chinese Ambassador to keep the “residents of Paynesville in mind for scholarships and other capacity-building programs”.
“I don’t believe in a dependency syndrome; I believe in education, I believe in capacity building, so I want to take this time to appeal to you when it comes to building capacities when it comes to molding the minds of my people of Paynesville. Please keep us in mind because we do have some very bright young people in this city,” she said.