Liberian president expects Chinese investors to help private sector

Liberian president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has said she is expecting more Chinese investors in the country to help local private sector grow and assist in Liberia's post-Ebola economic plan.

Sirleaf made the remarks in Monrovia when receiving a high-powered Chinese business delegation on Thursday.

The delegation comprising both state-owned and private companies in China, is in the country to seek partnership with local liberian businesses exploring investment opportunities in agriculture, infrastructure and energy.

The Liberian leader said the visit of the business delegation provides Liberia with a new and broader opportunity to go beyond what the two countries have done on the bilateral level.

"We are glad that its private sector focus because this sector will provide the real springboard for Liberia's development," Sirleaf said.

"We will never have enough resources of our own; but the private sector joined by the support of government through financing facilities can enable us to open many doors," she added.

According to the president, several sectors of interest which the Chinese business delegation have identified are not only consistent with government's long term economic transformation vision but also its post-Ebola economic stabilization plan.

"Time is of the essence. Whatever you do; whatever we agree to cooperate and to partner in, we want it done fast," Sirleaf said.

She said Liberia and China have collaborated over many years, but have not maximized the cooperation as compared to the cooperation that China has with many other African countries.

Speaking at the meeting, Chinese Ambassador to Liberia Zhang Yue said the visit of the Chinese delegation, the largest visiting business delegation to Liberia in almost a decade, comes on the heels of a recent Liberian ministerial delegation visit to China.

He added that this means China is serious about a "win-win cooperation"with Liberia.

He said the delegation is a very good warm-up for the upcoming visit of the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi to Liberia at the weekend.