Monrovia, Liberia – April 17, 2025—The Ministry of Agriculture welcomed a high-level Chinese delegation led by the Mayor of Shenzhen, Mr. Qin Weizhong, on a three-day official visit to Liberia to strengthen bilateral cooperation and explore investment opportunities.
The visit was prompted by the China-Liberia Trade and Investment Forum, which took place in Shenzhen in September 2024 during the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
Mayor Qin said the visit was to implement the strategic partnership agreement between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Liberian President Joseph Boakai in September 2024.
“We are here to implement the important consensus our heads of state reached to create more beneficial cooperation between China and Liberia,” said Mayor Qin. “We hope our visit aligns with China’s development strategy and Liberia’s National Agricultural Development Plan under the ARREST Agenda to make meaningful contributions to Liberia’s agricultural advancement.”
Shenzhen, one of China’s newest cities, is a model of China’s reform and development. This year, it celebrated its 45th anniversary. From a small town with less than 30,000 residents, it has grown into a global metropolis of over 20 million people. It is now China’s leading city in industrial output and foreign trade. Despite its urban landscape, Shenzhen maintains a robust agricultural sector, making it an ideal partner in Liberia’s agricultural transformation.
Agriculture Minister Dr. J. Alexander Nuetah identified key areas for collaboration, including irrigation infrastructure, cassava transformation, poultry, and maize production. “We are desperate to rehabilitate damaged water-control infrastructure for irrigation built by the Chinese in the 80s to grow more rice in Liberia,” he said, also highlighting the need to revive the post-war Agriculture Demonstration Center with Chinese technology.
The Minister called for greater investment, saying, “We invite Chinese investors to explore Liberia’s rich agricultural potential. We can pull some investors here who can invest in production, value addition to enhance local productivity, and market access.” He also emphasized the need to shift from traditional tools, noting, “One of the key challenges is that we are still using traditional production methods. Minister Nuetah thanked China and Ambassador Yin Chengwu for helping to secure equipment for eight mechanization service centers: “We are grateful for the support, but our goal is to reach all 15 counties.” 
Minister Nuetah requested technical training and scholarship opportunities for ministry staff to enhance their ability to lead sector reforms to support Liberia's capacity-building efforts.
In response, Mayor Qin affirmed: “The Chinese government places great importance on your suggestions. We will do our best to help address these challenges, and at the municipal level, Shenzhen is committed to supporting your goals.”
As a gesture of goodwill, Mayor Qin presented an Electric Leafy Vegetable Seeder, a precision farming machine designed for accurate single-grain sowing made available by the Shenzhen Agriculture & Food Investment Holdings Group Co., Ltd, to support Liberia’s efforts toward modern, technology-driven agriculture.
This visit marks a significant milestone in strengthening China-Liberia relations, paving the way for long-term collaboration to transform Liberia’s agriculture sector.