Sports deepen Ghana-China diplomatic ties

Friendship games organised on Saturday to celebrate 55 years of the establishment of Ghana-China diplomatic relations deepened economic cooperation between the two countries, moving it yonder to people-to-people relations.

The sporting activities, which featured mainly tennis ball and basketball, were organised by the Ghana-China Friendship Association to stimulate sustained interaction between ordinary citizens of the two countries.

The Chinese Ambassador, Mrs Sun Baohong said it was of special significance to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral relations in the form of basketball and table tennis friendship games.

She noted that sports exchange serve as a common language that enhances mutual understanding and trust between different civilizations and countries.

“Sports promote the process of normalisation of diplomatic relations and accelerate the pace of new countries to the world,” she said.

She said owing to the fast growing bilateral economic and trade cooperation, the two countries’ mutual cognisance, understanding and communication needed a further boost.

“Both sides need to keep up with the current situation, make effort to expand cultural exchanges, plough deep and cultivate meticulously people to people friendship,” Mrs Sun added.

The largest project so far aided by the Chinese in the country, according to the Embassy, is the Cape Coast stadium.

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Dr Mustapha Ahmed said the stadium would be due for completion in October to open up to sporting activities.

“The Cape Coast stadium will be completed soon and we hope to organise a grand ceremony to commission it in October, may be where we see will the black stars and the Chinese national team play,” he said.

He noted that China has emerged as the greatest trading partner to Ghana and is making significant impact across all sectors of the economy, a move that called for firming up relations beyond trade and politics but to cultural one.