The Ambassador of China to Ghana, Tong Defa, has said that his country and Ghana were committed to advancing their shared interests through mutual respect and collaboration.
“I am confident that under the strong leadership of President Xi Jinping and President John Mahama, China and Ghana will keep original aspirations to the founding spirit of our diplomatic ties, uphold mutual respect and win-win cooperation, and work hand-in-hand to build an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era,” he said.
The ambassador said this at a press conference in Accra yesterday to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Ghana-China Friendship Association (GHACHIFA), and the 65th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Ghana and the People’s Republic of China.
Investment
Mr Defa said that Chinese companies had invested in key sectors in Ghana that were creating jobs and supporting industrialisation.
He said China remained Ghana’s largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching $11.8 billion in 2024, marking a year-on-year growth of 7.1 percent.
On the cultural front, the ambassador said over 10,000 Ghanaian students study Chinese through Confucius Institutes in various public universities, while Chinese medical teams continue to offer vital healthcare services.
“The embassy has earnestly implemented the Warm Children’s Hearts, a China- African joint action. Together with the Chinese enterprises and United Nations agencies in Ghana, the embassy has contributed to the motherly love of friends,” Mr Defa said.
Relationship
The ambassador further emphasised the historic roots of China-Ghana collaboration, adding that Ghana was among the first African nations to establish diplomatic relations with China, even when few others recognised its global potential.
He recounted the deep bond between leaders like President Kwame Nkrumah and Premier Zhou Enlai, including Zhou’s visit to Ghana during tense times in 1964.
The ambassador praised GHACHIFA’s pivotal role over 25 years in nurturing the friendship through cultural, educational, and economic initiatives.
“Looking back, pragmatic cooperation between China and Ghana has yielded abundant results. Looking ahead, the fertile soil of our friendship awaits the nurturing of new buds.
“As President Nkrumah said, forward ever, backward never. I believe such is also the case of China-Ghana friendship,” he said
Fair coverage
The Chairman of GHACHIFA, Anani Demuyakor, urged the media to ensure fair and balanced coverage of China-Ghana relations and activities amidst rising phenomenon of misinformation.
He cautioned against focusing solely on negative stories involving a few Chinese nationals, stressing that such narratives often ignore broader diplomatic and developmental ties.
The chairman challenged journalists and security personnel to understand China better and distinguish between individuals and state policy.
“If someone is worth knowing at all, they are worth knowing very well. So if we think that China is worth knowing, please, I want to stress that they are worth knowing very well,” he added.
