On January 8th, 2026, Ambassador Zhao Yong presented his credentials to H.E. Julius Maada Bio, President of the Republic of Sierra Leone. The ceremony was attended by Sierra Leonean Foreign Minister Kabba and others. 

Ambassador Zhao first conveyed the warm greetings from President Xi Jinping to President Bio. He noted that in recent years, under the strategic guidance of the two Heads of State, practical cooperation between China and Sierra Leone has yielded fruitful results. China is willing to work with Sierra Leone to implement the important consensus reached by the two Heads of State and the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, so as to promote greater development of the China-Sierra Leone Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership. 

President Bio requested Ambassador Zhao to extend his sincere greetings and best wished to President Xi Jinping. He stated that China has always been a trustworthy and reliable partner to Sierra Leone, providing substantial assistance to the country’s national development over the decades. Sierra Leone values the friendly cooperation with China and will continue to firmly adhere to the one-China principle, working together with China to elevate the bilateral relations between the two countries to a new height. 

Ambassador Zhao arrived in Sierra Leone to assume his post on December 22nd, 2025.