The Embasssy of the People's Republic of China in the the Republic of Liberia announces with profound sadness that Mr. Jia Dayou, a Chinese supervising engineer at the construction site of the China-aided Agricutural Demonstration Center at CARI, Gbarnga, Bong County, died of cerebral malaria in the early morning of January 30th, 2010 at JFK. Medical Center where he was being treated for a week.

Mr. Jia Dayou at age of 62 received his high education at Shenyang Mechanical and Electrical Engineering University. He was certificated as a Senior Engineer in 1995 and became a certified supervising engineer in 2007.

He left his loved ones, his wife and his son, to work on the said Chinese aid project in May, 2009. As a veteran enginner, he worked very hard and deligently to ensure the guality and speed as required by the contract. He deeply impressed his colleagues with his strong sense of resposibilty, devotion, determination and selflessness.

When Mr. Jia was hospitalized during the period from January 25 to 30, the Minister of Health Mr. Gwenigale expressed his deep concern over the patient and instructed the hospital leadership and the relevant doctors to give him the best possible treatment. The Chinese Ambassador Mr. Zhou Yuxiao and his senior staff visted the patient and mobilize the Chinese peacekeepers to donate blood to him as he was suffering from anaemia as a complication symptom. The Ambassador also got strong support from UNMIL, from which he was prepared to rent an airplane to take the patient to Ghana for further treatment on January 31. Unfortunately, Mr. Jia died a few hours before the scheduled takeoff of the plane.

A funeral is scheduled to be held 10:00 am by the Chinese Embassy at the Samuel Stryker Funeral Serbier to morn the deceased and to express condolence and sympathy to the bereaved family. Senior officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Agriculture of Liberia, officers from CARI, diplomats from the Chinese Embassy, representatives from Chinese aid groups, Chinese peacekeeping Contingent, Chinese companies and the Chinese residing in Liberia will attend the funeral. Mr. Jia died for a worthy course of helping Liberia's agricultural development and postwar recontruction and for friendship and cooperation between China and Liberia. He shall be remembered forever.

Since 2003 when China and Liberia reassumed their diplamatic relationship, China has been involved in its modest way in Liberia's postwar reconstruction. Many Chinese aid workers have been working selflessly and tirelessly for the social and economic development in Liberia. Two of them, Mrs. Jiang Chongyu or alias Princess, and Mr. Jia Dayou even sacrifieced their precious lives.

However, Chinese Embassy would like to reiterate that the China's firm committement to Liberia will not be changed by those tragic events. A new superviser will be sent to the project immediately to replace the deceased, so as to ensure the completion of the project in mid-2010 as scheduled.