Ghana, China mark 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations

• Posted on July 6, 2020July 6, 2020
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Ghana and China are celebrating the 60th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations.

Sunday, July 5, marked exactly 60 years of the establishment of bilateral relations between the two countries.

President Nana Akufo-Addo in a statement, to Chinese President, Xi Jinping, says “the 5th of July, marks 60 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our nations, one of the first of such relationships in Africa. May I at the outset, extend my warmest congratulations to the Governments and peoples of our two countries on this auspicious occasion.”

“Your Excellency, 60 years in the life of an individual, and particularly relationships between States, is a great milestone worthy of celebration,” he wrote.

“As we commemorate this significant milestone in our relations, it is important to pay tribute to our forebears, President Kwame Nkrumah, Chairman Mao Zedong and Premier Zhou Enlai who established a firm and lasting foundation for the beneficial relations and cooperation between our peoples and countries,” he recounted.

” More importantly, these relations have been natured and strengthened by successive Ghanaian and Chinese leaders, as well as the ordinary people of both countries.

“In taking stock of our relations over the last six decades, I am pleased to note that they have been excellent, and have evolved overtime to encompass areas of cooperation such as diplomatic, political, economic, trade, investment, technology, security, cultural, education and people-to-people exchanges. During the period, we have achieved a great number of successes both at the bilateral and multilateral levels. High-level visits, intensive interactions, and exchanges between Ghanaian and Chinese leaders have become frequent and fruitful. Similarly, trade relations between our two countries have seen a remarkable increase, resulting in China being the largest trading partner of Ghana whilst Ghana is the 7th largest trading partner of China in Africa.

“At the multilateral level, our countries continue to cooperate to ensure the creation of a peaceful, just and equitable international order. The achievements we have chalked over the years must serve as a motivation for our countries and peoples to continue to consolidate, deepen, broaden and elevate our relations in the coming years.

“?Your Excellency, the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between our two countries comes at a time when the world is confronted with the deadly COVID-19 pandemic, which has ravaged economies and brought the world to a standstill. COVID-19 is a global problem and it has no respect for physical boundaries or social status. It is a threat to our collective existence. That is why we require a collective response to mitigate and eventually eradicate its devastating impact. I am, therefore, encouraged by China’s commitment in the fight against the pandemic”, the president stated..

Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchway, in a statement to Wang Yi, State Councilor and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, recounted that Ghana was one of the first countries in Sub-Saharan Africa to establish diplomatic relations with China in July 1960.

Since then, she explained, Sino-Ghana friendship and cooperation have grown from strength to strength as exemplified by high-level visits, economic cooperation, people-to-people exchanges and cultural partnerships.

“Apart from our longstanding and exemplary relations, our two nations continue to cooperate at the multilateral level and within the framework of the FOCAC and the One Belt and One Road initiative,” she said.

“More recently, we have collaborated and offered each other support and solidarity in the global fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Let me take this opportunity to thank China for the invaluable support and supply of medical items to Ghana during these challenging times. Ghana is equally grateful for the assistance provided by China in support of its developmental agenda over the years.”

President Xi Jinping also exchanged a congratulatory message with President Akufo-Addo, as did Wang Yi.

By Melvin Tarlue