China’s Ambassador to Ghana, Cong Song, has underscored the importance of strengthening people-to-people relations to deepen mutual understanding and enhance long-term cooperation between Ghana and China.

He said the future of Ghana-China relations depended not only on trade, investment, and infrastructure development but also on stronger human connections fostered through education, culture, and professional exchanges.

Mr Song made the remarks during the 2026 Ghana-China Media Fellowship organised by the Africa-China Centre for Policy and Advisory (ACCPA) in Accra.

Speaking on the importance of dialogue among civilisations, he said mutual respect and engagement were essential for promoting peaceful coexistence and sustainable cooperation.

He noted that differences in history, culture, and levels of development should be viewed as opportunities for learning and collaboration rather than sources of division.

"No civilisation is superior to another," he said, adding that countries could achieve greater progress by appreciating one another's experiences and development paths.

The Ambassador observed that exchanges between Ghana and China had expanded significantly in recent years, particularly in the areas of education, culture, and professional development.

He said many Ghanaian students continued to pursue higher education and professional training in China, while Chinese language education and cultural programmes were witnessing increasing growth in Ghanaian universities and other institutions.

Mr Song also noted that journalists, researchers, artists, and young professionals from both countries were increasingly participating in cross-cultural initiatives aimed at promoting understanding and cooperation.

Touching on the designation of 2026 as the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, he described the initiative as an important platform for expanding collaboration in education, tourism, media, youth development, and cultural dialogue across the continent.

According to him, such exchanges complemented economic and diplomatic engagements by fostering stronger interpersonal relationships between Africans and Chinese.

Mr Song, however, stressed that genuine mutual understanding required exchanges to move in both directions.

He said Ghanaian and African histories, cultures, and perspectives should receive greater visibility in China, just as Chinese culture and development experiences continue to attract growing interest in Ghana.

The Ambassador identified language barriers, inadequate public knowledge, and lingering stereotypes as some of the challenges that needed to be addressed to strengthen people-to-people relations.

He said the media had a crucial role to play in bridging those gaps through balanced, accurate, and informed reporting that highlighted both the opportunities and challenges in Ghana-China relations.

Mr Song urged journalists to uphold objective reporting standards to foster trust, dispel misconceptions, and encourage constructive dialogue between the peoples of the two countries.

Looking ahead, he said the long-term strength of Ghana-China relations would depend not only on government agreements, trade volumes, and infrastructure projects, but also on the ability of ordinary Ghanaians and Chinese citizens to interact, learn from one another, and build lasting friendships.

He expressed confidence that sustained cultural and educational exchanges would further strengthen the comprehensive strategic partnership between Ghana and China while contributing to closer China-Africa cooperation.