Monrovia — Lost in the recent inauguration of Joseph Boakai as the 26th President of the Republic of Liberia, was a rather awkward seating arrangement that very few noticed: Ho Hau Wah, the recently elected vice chairman of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) was seated next to Dr. Linda Thomas Greenfield, the US Ambassador to the United Nations.
Photos captured during the inauguration showed both guests apparently uneasy at the positioning, suggesting an apparent disconnect. Diplomatic observers say because both officials were representing their respective heads of state, they see no reason why the seating arrangement could pose a problem.
Alphabetical Order a Safe Bet
Such predicament is not often an issue at most international conferences, especially the UN General Assembly where the criterion of alphabetical order of the names of States is used for seating at the sessions of the General Assembly and international conferences. Since it would be inequitable to always have the countries whose names appear early in the alphabet sitting at the front, the name of the country from which the alphabetical order will start as of the following year is drawn by the Secretary-General every year. This happens right before the opening of the General Assembly session. That country will occupy the front-most left position.
The seating arrangement was of significant importance considering the ongoing economic conflict between China and the United States. Since former U.S. President Donald Trump began setting tariffs and other trade barriers on China with the goal of forcing it to make changes to what the U.S. says are longstanding unfair trade practices and intellectual property theft, the relationship between the pair have been strained.
On the one hand, China appreciates Liberia's firm adherence to the one-China principle and often expresses its willingness to work with Liberia to deepen the friendship and mutual trust between the two countries, strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation and better benefit the two peoples.
Following his first Annual Message Monday, President Boakai committed his administration to upholding the One-China policy. The One China principle is the position held by the People's Republic of China (PRC) and the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP) that there is only one sovereign state under the name China, with the PRC serving as the sole legitimate government of that China, and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China.
Speaking to Reporters shortly after he delivered his Annual Message, President Boakai recounted the significant roles played by China towards the country's recovery process.
According to him, the Chinese are vital to the developmental drive of Liberia. "We have not changed. We have committed to the one China policy, and I assured the Senators that we are committed to it. We have assured the Chinese that we are committed to you. The Chinese have been playing a very big role in this country; they have done a lot of things, and we support their stance on one China policy."
Additionally, in his Annual Message, on foreign policy, President Boakai further vowed to uphold and sustain Liberia's relationship with other friendly nations. "As a founding member of most continental and multilateral institutions, we will continue to honor our obligations. Liberia continues to foster cordial relationships with other countries in the community of nations and maintains its current membership with multilateral organizations like the United Nations, ECOWAS, Mano River Union, and the African Union. We will continue to pursue a policy of good neighborliness as we remain in peaceful coexistence with our immediate neighbors."
One China Reassured
President Boakai further observed that as a nation with a proud history of regional leadership, Liberia's standing among the comity of nations is undermined when it fails to meet obligations as a sovereign state. "Therefore, it is imperative to reclaim our standing in the comity of nations. My government will work with the legislature to ensure arrears are settled."
Liberia is widely regarded as America's stepchild. In fact, the US did, in fact, continues to support Liberia with foreign aid -- because it had a specific interest in doing so. As World War II gave way to the Cold War, the U.S. viewed Liberia as an ideal post from which to fight the spread of communism through Africa.
The US has pumped in millions of dollars into Liberia, including in recent years, about $200 million in Economic Support Funds (ESF), $85 million in Public Law (P.L.) 480 food aid, $83 million in development assistance, and $66 million in military assistance.
Liberia and the US established diplomatic relations with Liberia in 1864; 17 years after it declared independence from the American Colonization Society, an organization that resettled free African Americans and freed slaves in Liberia. A 1980 coup ended the rule of the party that controlled the country from its independence in 1847. From 1989 to 2003, the country saw continued misrule, rebellion, and civil war.
US Has Long-standing Ties
For years, U.S. assistance and engagement has been critical to Liberia's long-term development. The Ebola epidemic and the concurrent global downturn in prices of Liberia's principal exports have also slowed economic growth, drained the government's resources, and delayed development projects. The government must continue to make progress in diversifying the economy, building, and solidifying confidence in public governance, and fostering tangible improvements in the lives of average Liberians.
Ironically, China says it is willing to cooperate with Liberia on many fronts, including poverty alleviation, agriculture, infrastructure, and health.
President Boakai appears to be continuing the ties with China as his predecessor, former President George Weah, who in a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2022, made the pledge of a one-China policy. In that meeting, xi emphasized that the friendly ties between China and Liberia serve the interests of people from both countries. Xi said China and Liberia should continue to understand and support each other on issues related to their core interests and major concerns. Xi also promised that based on the contribution China has already made to the peace process in Liberia, it will continue to speak out to uphold justice for the latter.
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Despite China's overtures, the past six years has not been so rosy. The Weah administration, not understanding the balancing act of navigating the complexities of the ongoing global competing power dynamics, took the easy route to dismiss all of the Chinese interest at the UN and other international organizations. This position was manifested most prominently when Liberia supported joint statements condemning China's human rights record in the United Nations Human Rights Council. Many observers believe this led to halting some bilateral projects, including the overhead bridge projects, which China had promised to build on Tubman Boulevard at the Ellen Johnson Sirleaf Ministerial Complex and the intersection of S.K.D Boulevard.
While some diplomatic observers question the rationale of the seating arrangement, others say it could have boiled down to the fact that the protocol was considering the level of development assistance, or big power status. Or, it could be a clueless protocol officer.
Traditionally, the United States is given priority seating status, especially when the delegate is representing the President of the United States.
Others say, the seating order follows recognition of Liberia's independence, which makes Britain come first, and the others then follow. Priority is also accorded if the country is represented by its head of state. Some say it often follows an order of seniority where a Vice President comes before an Ambassador.
