By Godwill Arthur-Mensah/Simon Asare, GNA
Accra, Jan. 21, GNA - Governments of Ghana and China have renewed their commitment to deepen diplomatic relations in their mutual interests, during a reception to mark the Chinese New Year Spring Festival in Accra.
Their diplomatic relations dates back to 1960 and has grown from strength to strength, culminating in the signing of many bilateral partnership agreements in the areas of trade, infrastructural development, education, cultural exchange programmes, water and sanitation.
China is now one of the major sources of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in Ghana with volume of bilateral trade between the two countries amounting to US$7.25 billion in 2018, attaining 8.7 per cent of year-on-year growth.
According to statistics from the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC), China is ranked among the top 10 sources of FDI in Ghana and in 2018 alone, a total of 37 projects across the various sectors of the economy valued at US$159.3 million were signed.
At a Gala Show hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Ghana and Ministry of Culture and Tourism of China at the Accra International Centre (AICC) to mark the Chinese New Year Spring Festival, Mr Shi Ting Wang, the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, said the relations between their nations was flaming brightly and kept the values of friendship, justice and shared interests.
He said the economic and commercial cooperation made the relations stable and was convinced that more Chinese entrepreneurs and investors would make major investments in Ghana in the coming years.
The event was attended by Ministers of State including; Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, who was the Special Guest of Honour, Mr Dan Botwe, the Minister of Regional Re-organisation and Development, Dr Mohammed Ibrahim Awal, the Minister of Business Development and Mohammed Habibu Tijani and Charles Owiredu, both deputy ministers of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration.
Other top public officials included; Ambassador Victor Gbeho, a former Minister, Ambassador Albert Francis Yankey, the Chief Director of the Ministry of foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Ambassador Kojo Amoo-Gottfried, President of Ghana-China Friendship Association, Mr Xu Ningquan, President of Ghana Overseas Chinese (Fujian) Industry and Commerce Federation.
The Chinese New Year is symbolically represented with a rat in Chinese Zodiac, representing smartness and intelligence and is believed that rat is the first in the 12-cycle of Chinese Zodiac.
The gala also marks the beginning of series of activities to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the diplomatic relations between Ghana and China.
The audience witnessed spectacular and nerve-racking choreographic performances and songs from the Chinese Oriental Performing Arts Group and Chinese National Symphony Orchestra who wowed them with Chinese classical and folk music and dance styles, displaying Chinese cultural diversity.
The dance troupes displayed the Mongolian Swan Goose painting wind, flying high in the sky, thus, making people miss the homeland in the north.
There were solo performances of “You Raised Me Up”, “Drunken Feeling”, ”Deep Night” and “Blossoming Jasmine” that exemplified Chinese cultural elegance and riches.
Madam Cecilia Abena Dapaah, the Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation, on behalf of Ghana Government, congratulated over 1.4 billion Chinese worldwide for the celebration of the New Year Spring Festival and wished them well in all their endeavours.
She said the two countries had every reason to celebrate sixty-years of friendship and cooperation as the bilateral relation stood the test of time and continued to develop and deepened.
“I hope the cooperation between the two countries will be enhanced and grow from strength to strength and mutual understanding between their peoples in the coming years,” she said.
GNA
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