China holds seminar for Liberian young diplomats

As the Seminar for Liberian Young Diplomats closed in Beijing, a group of 25 young diplomats from Liberia completed their training courses in theoretical knowledge and practical skills in diplomatic affairs.

As a foreign assistance human resource development and cooperation project sponsored by the Chinese government, the seminar included lectures on China’s foreign policies, China-Africa relations, and China’s public diplomacy in the new era. How to tell good stories about those matters was also covered, offering the trainees a platform to communicate with Chinese officials, experts and scholars.

During the courses, the trainees paid a field trip to Northwest China’s Ningxia Hui autonomous region, where they visited local ecological protection zones, wineries, and companies in the goji berry industry to gain a firsthand knowledge of the region’s efforts to protect its eco-environment. 

Larter, the leader of the trainee team, said that Ningxia and the African region share similarities in terms of resource endowment and industrial structure, and Ningxia's experience offers references for Liberia's development. 

He said that after returning home he would suggest to the Liberian government to establish a consulate in Yinchuan, capital of Ningxia, to strengthen ties with Ningxia and promote more practical cooperation. 

Another trainee showed her interest in the goji berry processing industry, saying that she hopes to bring the goji berry planting and processing industry back to Africa and that her family can act as an agent of Chinese goji businesses, as they are engaged in food processing.

At the closing ceremony of the seminar, Larter expressed his gratitude to the Chinese government for hosting the event and said he would bring the stories and experience of China back to Liberia and Africa, adding that he plans to launch a young diplomat organization to enhance China-Liberia cooperation.