CONAKRY, Guinea - China's foreign minister has pledged continued support to the three West African countries hardest hit by the Ebola outbreak that has killed more than 11,200 people.
Minister Wang Yi ended his tour in Guinea on Monday after visiting Sierra Leone and Liberia.
He met with Guinea President Alpha Conde and said he would encourage Chinese enterprises to invest in the post-Ebola economy to construct ports, roads, railways and help with water supply needs, according to a Guinea government statement.
In Liberia on Sunday, Wang said Liberia is a good example of how China supports countries in Africa.
"You will see houses and roads built by China and Chinese companies helping the people of Liberia," he said through a translator. "China is ready to continue to play that role and shoulder the responsibility."
China was one of the first to fly in badly needed medical gear when Ebola spread last year.
China has provided at least $121 million in cash and supplies to fight the disease in West Africa. It also sent dozens of army doctors and hundreds of army medical workers.
Wang said China plans to build government offices and investigate a possible steel-making project in Liberia.
In Sierra Leone, Wang met with President Ernest Bai Koroma Saturday to discuss Sierra Leone's development and public health needs, according to a government statement. He also discussed investments in mining, industrialization, fishing and construction.
In Liberia, Wang criticized countries that provide assistance but pass judgment, an apparent reaction to President Barack Obama's recent speech to the African Union which included comments on corruption.
"Whether a certain government is corrupt or not, it's not to be judged by outsiders, but only by the people," he said.
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Associated Press writer Clarence Roy-Macaulay contributed from Freetown, Sierra Leone.
