China describes Ghana as an important development partner

Ghana has been described as an important development partner of China on the African continent.

“Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ghana and China 57 years ago, the two countries have enjoyed fruitful cooperation in the economic and trade fields, bringing tangible benefits to people of the two countries.”

Sun Baohung, Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, said this at the opening ceremony of the China Trade week in Accra on Wednesday.

She said last year, trade between Ghana and China reached US$5.976 billion, making Ghana the seventh largest trading partner of China in Africa.

China’s imports from Ghana for the same year, was US$ 1.305 billion, and export to Ghana, US$4.671 billion, the Chinese Ambassador said, adding that China’s non-financial direct investment inflows into Ghana, also hit US$2.511 billion.

She said the encouraging figures, held proof of the great potential that the two countries had in their future economic relations.

“Good stories will continue as now, both sides are actively exploring diversified forms of cooperation,” Ambassador Sun said.

She said with the NPP government’s pledge to Ghanaians to implement concrete measures to achieve industrialisation and economic restructuring, “there will be great room for China-Ghana cooperation”.

Ambassador Sun said the two countries needed to work more closely than ever to score new achievements and keep forging ahead in “win- win” cooperation.

She said it was important for the two countries to focus on the major projects that had a significant bearing on Ghana’s development as a nation.

“China is willing to study in a serious manner, the cooperation in energy, infrastructure, construction, manufacturing, agricultural modernisation and ecological protection, to enhance Ghana’s capacity for sustainable development,” the Chinese Ambassador said.

Mr Yoofi Grant, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Investment Promotion Council, said Ghana would position itself to be a key business partner of China.

“We will make conditions conducive for you to bring your factories here and create jobs. Ghana is ready and serious,” he said.

In a speech read on his behalf, Dr Alan Kyeremanteng, Minister of Trade and Industry, said whilst Ghanaians businesses would be protected at all cost by the laws of the land, they also needed to be strengthened and promoted.

To do that, he said it was necessary to collaborate with partners including China.

The Minister stressed, that the focus was to enhance and promote businesses within the country, and ultimately, socio-economic growth.