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Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing arrived Sunday in the West African state of Liberia to attend the inaugural ceremony of Africa's first female president, Harvard-trained economist Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf.

 

Johnson-Sirleaf was elected president last November in a presidential run off poll and defeated football star George Weah with 59.4 percent of the votes.

 

The 67-year-old grandmother will be sworn in Monday in the gardens of the Legislative compound where a stage has been built for the occasion which would also be attended by scores of dignitaries including the First Lady of the US, Laura Bush, US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice and several West African heads of state.

 

Upon his arrival, Li said, "I will work harder to strengthen ties between our two countries," in response to welcome statement by the Liberia-China Friendship Organization of more than 200 local members who had gowned him as an "Honorary Chief of Marshall."

 

Li said he was happy to be in Liberia for the first time and expressed appreciation to the Liberian government for reaffirming the one-China principle.

 

China and Liberia reestablished diplomatic ties in October 2003 and have since then solidified their relations.

 

China's contribution to Liberia ranges from support in the restoration of peace and stability to assistance in the health, agriculture, sports sectors, and provision of road construction equipment as well as capacity building for Liberian technicians and professionals, many of whom participated in various seminars in China under the auspices of the Chinese government.

 

China voted at the UN Security Council in 2003, authorizing the deployment of 15,000 multinational peacekeeping troops to the West African state and contributed about 600 of its own troops to the UN Mission.

 

More than 100,000 ex-combatants, under the UN Mission have been disarmed and are being rehabilitated and reintegrated in the society along with the supervision of national elections in October and November to end two years of transition rule in the country.

 

A team of Chinese medical doctors and agriculture experts as well as construction workers are currently in the country to assist in their respective fields.

 

The inauguration of Johnson-Sirleaf Monday will end two years of transitional rule in the country following 14 years of civil war.

 

(Xinhua News Agency January 16, 2006)