WUHAN -- President of the Republic of Sierra Leone Julius Maada Bio on Saturday visited Wuhan in Central China's Hubei province, marking his first trip to the Chinese city that has close ties with Sierra Leone in multiple fields such as trade, education and agriculture.

During this visit, Bio went to the Institute of Food Crops of Hubei Academy of Agricultural Sciences, where he learned about the research achievements in rice cultivation. Noting that rice is a staple food for many African countries, including Sierra Leone, he expressed hope for collaboration between Sierra Leone and Hubei in this field.

Bio, who was on a state visit to China from Feb. 27 to March 2, was awarded an honorary doctorate degree on Saturday by the China University of Geosciences (Wuhan). Expressing his gratitude, Bio said that this accolade is "not just a personal achievement, but a testimony of the enduring friendship between our two countries."

Speaking at the university, Bio said his visit to China is aimed at strengthening diplomatic relations and economic and trade partnership between the two countries, as well as promoting deeper exchanges between universities in both countries.

He also noted that since Sierra Leone joined the Belt and Road Initiative in 2018, the country has "benefited immensely from projects under this initiative."

Hubei and Sierra Leone share a longstanding friendship. Over the years, the province has sent agricultural technicians to Sierra Leone to share expertise in cultivation and breeding techniques. Moreover, the China University of Geosciences (Wuhan) has provided training to over 20 high-level professionals from Sierra Leone in disciplines such as geological resources and engineering, environmental science and engineering, among others.