Ghana and China have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral ties, with focus on trade, investment, industrialisation and development cooperation.

‎The commitment was expressed at a reception in Accra to mark the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

‎Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Mr Cong Song, said the longstanding partnership had entered a new phase, with greater emphasis on aligning the development strategies of the two countries and creating practical opportunities for their peoples.

‎He said diplomatic relations, established in 1960, had been founded on the friendship between Chairman Mao Zedong and Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah.

‎Mr Cong said China and Ghana had, over the past 66 years, supported each other and worked in solidarity to advance their shared interests and those of the Global South.

‎He said the partnership had continued to deepen under President Xi Jinping of China and President John Dramani Mahama of Ghana, particularly following President Mahama’s engagements with President Xi and Premier Li Qiang during his 2025 visit to China.

‎The Ambassador said economic and trade cooperation remained a major pillar of bilateral relations, with China continuing to be Ghana’s largest trading partner and a major source of foreign investment.

‎“In 2025, our bilateral trade reached a record 14.1 billion US dollars, reflecting a 19.3 per cent year-on-year growth,” he said.

‎Hundreds of Chinese enterprises and members of the Chinese community in Ghana, he noted, were contributing to infrastructure, energy, mining, manufacturing, the digital economy and green agriculture.

‎‎Mr Cong said Ghana was among the first African countries to benefit from China’s zero-tariff treatment, which he said created opportunities for African countries to expand exports and strengthen industrialisation.

‎He said China’s domestic market offered opportunities for Ghanaian businesses, while China remained committed to advancing China-aided projects in Ghana.

‎Mr Cong also cited people-to-people exchanges as an important component of the relationship, highlighting the work of the Confucius Institutes, Chinese medical teams and cultural initiatives such as the Chinese Film Festival.

‎He said China would continue to strengthen cooperation with Ghana and other African countries in development, education, culture and economic transformation.

‎The Ambassador said the coming year would be significant for Ghana-China and China-Africa relations, with Ghana expected to celebrate its 70th independence anniversary and assume the rotating chairmanship of the African Union in 2027.

‎He said the 10th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) was also expected to be held in the Republic of Congo next year.

‎“China will continue to jointly implement the important consensus reached by our two Presidents, carry forward the traditional friendship between our two countries, and advance the alignment of our development strategies,” he said.

‎Dr Zanetor Agyeman-Rawlings, Minister for Environment, Science and Technology, who represented President Mahama, said Ghana valued its longstanding partnership with China and remained committed to strengthening cooperation for mutual benefit.

‎She said China’s development experience offered lessons for Ghana and other developing countries, particularly its long-term approach to development, investment in productive capacity and ability to translate national priorities into tangible results.

‎Dr Agyeman-Rawlings said Ghana-China cooperation covered infrastructure, trade, investment, education, health, agriculture, energy, security, culture and people-to-people exchanges.

‎She said recent engagements between President Mahama and the Chinese leadership had provided fresh direction for bilateral cooperation and reinforced the two countries’ shared desire to deepen the partnership.

‎The Minister said Ghana was particularly interested in attracting greater investment, strengthening links between the two countries’ business communities and increasing the presence of Ghanaian products in the Chinese market.

‎She said China’s decision to extend zero-tariff treatment to African countries with diplomatic relations with China presented an important opportunity for Ghanaian farmers, manufacturers and businesses.

‎Ghana, she said, would need to increase production, improve standards and ensure reliable supply to take advantage of opportunities in the Chinese market.

‎Dr Agyeman-Rawlings cited the Aflao Market Project, the proposed University of Science and Technology in Damongo and the renovation of the National Theatre among bilateral projects requiring continued cooperation.

‎She said Ghana looked forward to working closely with the Chinese side to advance the projects and ensure that their benefits were felt by the communities they were intended to serve.

‎The Minister stressed that investments and development partnerships must comply with Ghana’s laws, regulatory frameworks and national priorities.

‎“All development and investment must be undertaken in accordance with Ghana’s laws, regulatory frameworks and national priorities,” she said.

‎Dr Agyeman-Rawlings said Ghana, as host of the Secretariat of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), saw considerable scope for cooperation with China to promote investment, productive capacity and value addition across Africa.

‎She said stronger Ghana-China cooperation could contribute to regional value chains and create opportunities extending beyond individual national markets.

‎The reception, held at the residence of Ambassador Cong, brought together Mr Julius Debrah, Chief of Staff, Ministers of State, government officials, Members of Parliament, members of the diplomatic corps, Chinese business leaders and members of the Chinese community in Ghana.

‎It also featured cultural performances by students of the Confucius Institutes at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and the University of Ghana.