China-Ghana Relations: Working hand in hand for a better future
Ghana, labelled as the Gold Coast and a Cocoa Hub, and featured by beautiful and unique scenery, thriving and emerging economy, enthusiastic and radiant people as well as diversified and accommodating culture, is now under the spotlight of Africa and the world.
As an old Chinese saying goes, “Mountains and seas can’t distance those with common aspirations.”
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China and Ghana, despite the long distance between them, are closely connected by the bonds formed in history and in contemporary times. Ghana is one of the first sub-Saharan African countries to establish diplomatic ties with China. Since then, the two countries have enjoyed deep traditional friendship. This year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of China-Ghana diplomatic ties.
Over the past 55 years, China-Ghana political relations have been increasingly consolidated. The two countries have kept close high-level exchanges. The friendship between Chairman Mao Zedong, Premier Zhou Enlai and Dr Kwame Nkrumah are widely circulated in both China and Ghana.
Presidents Jerry John Rawlings, John Agyekum Kufuor and John Evans Atta Mills visited China during their presidency and the Chinese side reciprocated visits to Ghana by several Chinese leaders. Meanwhile, China and Ghana enjoy frequent interaction at all levels.
Ghana always firmly supports China over the issues concerning the core and major interests of China, while China always backs the endeavour of Ghana for national independence and development, economic transformation and regional integration. China and Ghana keep close coordination in the international and regional arena and thus strongly safeguard the interests of the developing countries.
Trade and economy
Over the past 55 years, China-Ghana cooperation on trade and economy has been inspiring. China-Ghana trade volume has surged from less than USD 100 million in 2000 to USD 5.6 billion in 2014, making China one of the largest trade partners of Ghana.
In 2014, Ghana’s export to China hit USD 1.4 billion, a historical high. All the indicators of China-Ghana cooperation are ranking high in China-Africa cooperation.
The Chinese side financed and executed a number of significant projects relating to the economic growth and people’s livelihood of Ghana, to name a few, the Atuabo Gas Processing Project, Bui Dam and Kpong Water Supply Expansion Project.
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The Chinese enterprises value the Ghanaian market and have enthusiastically entered various areas such as infrastructure, energy, manufacturing, agriculture, aviation and real estate.
For example, Sunon Asogli Power Plant and Africa World Airline (AWA), invested in by the Chinese side, have played an important role in alleviating the power shortage and promoting the interconnection of the sub-region.
While engaging in the national development of Ghana, the Chinese enterprises have also fulfilled social responsibilities and promoted the localisation strategy, making great contributions to the economic growth and the improvement of the people’s well-being.
Over the past 55 years, China-Ghana cultural and people-to-people exchanges have been shining. Within the Framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), our people-to-people exchanges are ever-increasing and mutual understanding ever-deepening.
The wood sculpture, music and dance, among other Ghanaian arts, are enjoying high popularity among Chinese tourists. Chinese culture is also becoming more and more attractive in Ghana.
The classic symbols of Chinese culture such as panda, the Great Wall, kungfu, Chinese medicine and Chinese food are widely known in Ghana.
The Ghanaian students are passionate to study in China, with the number of the self-financed Ghanaian students totalled 3,700 in 2014, the highest in that of Africa. China provides Ghana with lots of scholarship and training opportunities.
The first Confucius Institute has been established at the University of Ghana and serves as a window for cultural exchanges.
Achievements through cooperation
A review of China-Ghana relations shows that the achievements of our cooperation have not grown overnight. Neither is it a gift from someone else. It is jointly cultivated and nurtured by our two countries through the following approaches:
China and Ghana always carry out all-round cooperation on the basis of mutual political trusts. The high-level mutual political