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A high-level delegation from China’s Anhui Province, led by Zheng Hong, Vice Chairperson of the Anhui Provincial Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, paid a courtesy visit to the Parliament of Sierra Leone on Friday, 5th December 2025.
The delegation was received by the Speaker, Segepoh Solomon Thomas, in a meeting aimed at deepening longstanding bilateral relations.
Zheng Hong expressed gratitude for the warm welcome and reaffirmed Anhui Province’s commitment to strengthening its more than 50-year friendship with Sierra Leone through structured exchange visits. He extended a formal invitation to Speaker Thomas to visit Anhui, emphasising opportunities for enhanced cooperation in technology, trade and governance.
He noted Anhui’s recent achievements, including over $60 million in import-export activities in 2024, and stressed the value of local-level partnerships and regular institutional exchanges.
During the engagement, Speaker Thomas welcomed the delegation with a red-carpet reception and outlined key features of Sierra Leone’s governance structure. He explained that the nation comprises 16 electoral districts and operates a multiparty democratic system, although only the two major political parties currently hold seats in Parliament. He highlighted the composition of the Sixth Parliament, which includes 81 Members from the ruling party, 54 from the opposition and 14 Paramount Chiefs, totaling 149 MPs.
The Speaker also referenced the country’s proportional representation system and noted significant legislative achievements of the Fifth Parliament, including the Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment Act, which mandates a 30 percent quota for women in governance. He praised the enduring China-Sierra Leone partnership established in 1971 and reaffirmed Sierra Leone’s consistent alignment with China on global issues. He further requested training opportunities for MPs and parliamentary staff, particularly in technology and modern governance.
The meeting concluded with mutual commitments to deepen cooperation through study tours and joint initiatives, followed by the presentation of a gift to the Speaker. The visit is viewed as a meaningful step toward advancing economic, political and cultural collaboration between Anhui Province and the Sierra Leone Parliament, reinforcing decades of diplomatic friendship.
