President Barrow Wraps Up FOCAC China trip

President Adama Barrow visited Harbin City in the Heilongjiang Province of the People’s Republic of China on Saturday, 7 September 2024
At the Longjian Company Limited, the Board Chairman, Mr Tian Yulon, welcomed President Barrow. Mr Yulon thanked him for the visit, stating it has deepened his understanding of the company’s capacity and experience in building roads and bridges in China and other Asian and African countries, including the URR Roads and Bridges in The Gambia. He pledged to partner with The Gambia in implementing the three-year FOCAC Action Plan.
President Barrow thanked the Longjian team for supporting the Roads and Bridges projects, positively impacting lives in the Gambia. The President said he never doubted the company’s capacity, which gave his government the confidence to provide it with a contract to construct the ongoing Kabada roads project of over 100 kilometres. President Barrow added that the visit boosted his confidence in the company and assured them of their continued partnership in realising the second phase of his campaign promise to build about 800 kilometres of road in The Gambia.
Speaking earlier, the Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, Mr Mod K. Ceesay, said the Longjiang delivery of the URR projects supported by China Aid was a milestone project that left its footprint in the West African State. He urged the company to take advantage of the viable economic and political environment for investment opportunities in The Gambia.
At a bilateral meeting with the Secretary of the Heilongjiang Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Chairman of the Standing Committee of Heilongjiang People’s Congress, Mr Xu Qin reiterated China’s commitment to strategic partnership with Africa and is optimistic that his Province would start a new and strategic partnership with The Gambia in agriculture and other sectors of development in line with President Xi Jinping’s commitment to global cooperation.
The Gambian leader reiterated The Gambia’s commitment to a reliable and genuine partnership with the People’s Republic of China at the bilateral and multilateral levels. President Barrow seized the opportunity and thanked the Communist Party for supporting his party, the National People’s Party.
While in Heilongjiang Province, President Barrow at the Songhuajiang Bridge, the Longjian company constructed in Harbin City, visited the ICE and SNOW Hall.
The Ministers of Justice and Agriculture, Honourable Dawda Jallow and Dr Demba Sabally were amongst the delegation that accompanied President Barrow to Harbin City before returning to Banjul in the early hours on 8 September 2024.