The Speaker of the Sixth Parliament of the Second Republic of Sierra Leone, Rt. Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas, on Monday, July 4, 2025, warmly welcomed a high-level delegation from the Hubei Provincial People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China. The visit, anchored on peer-to-peer legislative knowledge exchange, marked a significant moment in fostering deeper cooperation between the Parliaments of Sierra Leone and China.

The visiting delegation was led by Madam Wang Yanling, Secretary-General of the Communist Party of China and Chairperson of the Standing Committee of the Hubei Provincial People’s Congress. In her opening remarks, Madam Wang Yanling expressed her gratitude to Speaker, Rt. Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas and the leadership of the Sierra Leone Parliament for the warm hospitality extended to her delegation. She highlighted the longstanding friendship between Sierra Leone and Hubei Province, emphasizing that the visit was aimed at enhancing mutual understanding and cooperation between the two legislative bodies.

Madam Wang Yanling provided insight into Hubei Province, describing it as a central region of China with a population of over 61 million people. She noted that Hubei plays a critical role in China’s national development agenda through the “Rise of Central China” strategy.

Expounding on the structure of China’s legislative system, she explained that the People’s Congress system operates at various levels, with the Standing Committees serving as permanent legislative mechanisms. According to the Chinese Constitution, she said, the People’s Congresses are mandated to perform four core functions: legislation, oversight, vetting presidential appointments and making decisions on key national issues.

She concluded by extending an invitation to Speaker Rt. Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas to lead a parliamentary delegation from Sierra Leone on a reciprocal visit to Hubei Province, further strengthening parliamentary diplomacy and cooperation.

Responding to the delegation, Rt. Hon. Speaker Segepoh Solomon Thomas expressed appreciation for the visit and acknowledged the growing partnership between Sierra Leone and China, particularly through legislative exchange. He drew parallels between the two systems, noting that the Sierra Leone Parliament also performs three main constitutional roles—lawmaking, oversight and representation.

Speaker Rt. Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas explained that Sierra Leone operates under a Proportional Representation (PR) electoral system, also known as the List System and emphasized that the Sixth Parliament reflects the country’s diverse tribal composition, with representation from all districts.

He also highlighted the bipartisan nature of Sierra Leone’s political landscape, dominated by the All People’s Congress (APC) and the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP). He noted that the current Parliament has been particularly active in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities, including the vetting of presidential nominees. He cited instances where Parliament rejected nominees found to have dual citizenship, criminal backgrounds or inadequate qualifications.

In conclusion, Speaker Rt. Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas assured the Chinese delegation that the proposal for a reciprocal visit would be given due consideration. The meeting ended on a warm note with the presentation of a symbolic gift from the Hubei delegation to Rt. Hon. Speaker Segepoh Solomon Thomas, further cementing the spirit of friendship and collaboration between the two legislative institutions. https://thecalabashnewspaper.com/chinas-hubei-peoples-congress-engages-sierra-leone-parliament-in-bilateral-exchange/