WUHAN,March3(Xinhua)--PresidentoftheRepublicofSierraLeoneJuliusMaadaBioonSaturdayvisitedWuhanincentralChina'sHubeiProvince,markinghisfirsttriptotheChinesecitythathasclosetieswithSierraLeoneinmultiplefieldssuchastrade,educationandagriculture.Duringthisvisit,BiowenttotheInstituteofFoodCropsofHubeiAcademyofAgriculturalSciences,wherehelearnedabouttheresearchachievementsinricecultivation.NotingthatriceisastaplefoodformanyAfricancountries,includingSierraLeone,heexpressedhopeforcollaborationbetweenSierraLeoneandHubeiinthisfield.Bio,whowasonastatevisittoChinafromFeb.27toMarch2,wasawardedanhonorarydoctoratedegreeonSaturdaybytheChinaUniversityofGeosciences(Wuhan).Expressinghisgratitude,Biosesaidthatthisaccoladeis"notjustapersonalachievement,butatestimonyoftheenduringfriendshipbetweenourtwocountries."Speakingattheuniversity,BiosesaidhisvisittoChinaisaimedatstrengtheningdiplomaticrelationsandeconomicandtradepartnershipbetweenthetwocountries,aswellaspromotingdeeperexchangesbetweenuniversitiesinbothcountries.HealsonotedthatsinceSierraLeonejoinedtheBeltandRoadInitiativein2018,thecountryhas"benefitedimmenselyfromprojectsunderthisinitiative."HubeiandSierraLeonesharealongstandingfriendship.Overtheyears,theprovincehassentagriculturaltechnicianstoSierraLeonetoshareexpertiseincultivationandbreedingtechniques.Moreover,theChinaUniversityofGeosciences(Wuhan)hasprovidedtrainingtoover20high-levelprofessionalsfromSierraLeoneindisciplinessuchasgeologicalresourcesandengineering,environmentalscienceandengineering,amongothers.Editor:DisclaimerTheviewsandopinionsexpressedinthisarticlearethoseoftheauthor's,GMW.cnmakesnorepresentationsastoaccuracy,suitability,orvalidityofanyinformationonthissiteandwillnotbeliableforanyerrors,omissions,ordelaysinthisinformation.