“Ghana-China relations can ride on the back of the new normal to create viable political, economic, social, and cultural partnerships that will define our future in the post-COVID-19 era,” said Alhaji Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice President of the Republic of Ghana, during an online symposium on September 16.

The symposium, organized by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (CPAFFC) and the Embassy of Ghana in China, was held to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of China-Ghana diplomatic relations.

“Over the past 60 years, China and Ghana have always understood and supported each other, and brought tangible benefits to our two peoples, becoming a model of equality and mutual trust, and win-win cooperation for common development between China and Africa,” said Lin Songtian, president of CPAFFC.

The  online symposium, organized by the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries and the Embassy of Ghana in China, is held to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of China-Ghana diplomatic relations. (Photo provided by CPAFFC)

Ghana established diplomatic relations with China shortly after becoming a republic in July 1960, one of the first countries in sub-Saharan Africa to do so.

On July 5, 2020, Chinese President Xi Jinping exchanged congratulatory messages with his Ghanaian counterpart, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, on the 60th anniversary of the establishment of China-Ghana diplomatic relations.

“Under the distinguished leadership of President Akufo-Addo and President Xi, our relations have become more robust and diverse, touching practically all conceivable spheres of development, especially in trade and investment, culture and education,” Bawumia said.

China is currently the largest investor in Ghana in terms of registered projects. It is also Ghana’s biggest trading partner, with its total value of trade reaching a record $7.46 billion in 2019. The number was less than $100 million back in 2000.

The government of Ghana has further deepened its economic cooperation with China by joining the Asia Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), both of which have become sources of critical financial support for Ghana’s developmental agenda.

Bawumia spoke highly of the BRI during the symposium, praising it as a new diplomatic and economic opportunity for Ghana that can transform its financial, manufacturing and technology sectors by connecting the country to new markets across the globe.

The two countries have also made remarkable achievements in people-to-people exchanges and cultural cooperation. Over 6,000 Ghanaian students are currently studying in China. Meanwhile, China continues to dispatch medical teams to Ghana to upgrade its medical and health care standards and improve people's lives.

Noting that when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, China was the first country to donate medical equipment to assist Ghana and other West African countries, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of the Republic of Ghana said that the gesture was testament to the enduring relations between the two countries, which is anchored in the principles of respect, sincerity, equality, mutual benefit, solidarity and common development.

With Ghana’s leadership and voice on the African continent, Bawumia said, Ghana-China relations in the post-COVID-19 era have the potential to become a blueprint for other bilateral and multilateral relations on our continent.

Lin also emphasized the importance of upholding and safeguarding multilateralism, adding that staying committed to cooperation for common development and working hand in hand to build a community with a shared future for mankind has become the inevitable trend and the common aspiration of the peoples of the world.