Ghana’s Ambassador to China, Kojo Bonsu, has urged Ghanaian businesses to secure exhibition space at the China Import and Export Fair, popularly known as the Canton Fair, to showcase value-added “Made in Ghana” products to the global market.

The Ambassador made the appeal during a working visit to the China Foreign Trade Centre at the Canton Fair Complex in Guangzhou on Thursday, June 25, where he met the Centre’s Director General, Zhu Yong.

He was accompanied by Ghana’s Consul General in Guangzhou, Sidney Kwesi Ellis.

Ambassador Bonsu said Ghana must move beyond exporting raw materials and focus on promoting finished products in international markets.

He called on the Centre to support more Ghanaian manufacturers to participate in future editions of the Canton Fair, noting that local businesses could benefit from China’s zero-tariff policy for least developed countries.

“Beyond raw materials, which are already traded between Ghana and China, we must exhibit processed minerals, processed foods, ceramics, textiles, auto components, and other manufactured Ghanaian products,” Ambassador Bonsu said.

He stressed that the Canton Fair had played a key role in China’s industrial transformation and said Ghanaian businesses should take advantage of the platform to grow local industries.

“The Canton Fair played a pivotal role in building China’s industry. Ghanaian businesses must use the same platform to build ours. We cannot continue to export only raw materials and import finished goods,” he added.

Director General Zhu Yong welcomed the proposal and reaffirmed the Centre’s readiness to support more Ghanaian companies to exhibit as industrial exporters.

Zeng Ping, Deputy Director of the External Relations Office, also expressed optimism about seeing more Ghanaian firms present value-added products to international buyers.

As part of the visit, Ambassador Bonsu toured Ceramics China 2026, where he engaged manufacturers on equipment supply, technology transfer and market access opportunities.

The visit forms part of efforts to support Ghana’s Critical Minerals Policy 2023, which promotes the local processing of strategic minerals before export to maximise value addition and strengthen the country’s industrial base.