Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Emmanuel Bombande, and the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Sun Baoyong, joined a host of other Chinese and Ghanaian nationals at the Tang Palace Hotel on Thursday in Accra to celebrate the 55th anniversary of the signing of the treaty of friendship between Ghana and the People’s Republic of China.

The colourful event, hosted by the Ghana-China Friendship Association (GHACHIFA), under the auspices of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration and the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China and the Ghana Chinese Chamber of Commerce, saw the re-enactment of treaty of friendship between the Asian nation and its West African counterpart.

The first democratically-elected President of Ghana, Dr Kwame Nkrumah, on July 5, 1960, made the decision to establish a bilateral relationship with the People’s Republic of China despite pressure from the Western world at the time.

A year later, President Nkrumah visited Beijing, which was then called Peking, to sign the historic treaty with the Chinese Communist President, Mao Tse Tung.

The treaty opened doors for bilateral trade between both nations ever since, with the last three decades reportedly being the decades of increasing trade for them.

Speaking at the ceremony, Sun Baoyong expressed her gratitude to individuals and institutions that have been “working very hard” over the last 55 years to safeguard the bond of friendship between Ghana and China.

According to her, “China-Ghana people-to-people and cultural exchanges is shining; the Chinese culture is increasingly becoming attractive in Ghana.”

She indicated that about 4,600 Ghanaian students were in China sponsoring their own education, adding that 700 Ghanaian professionals visited China in 2015 for trainings.

Touching on the Chinese government investments in Ghana, she said over the last two years, the Chinese Embassy in Accra has built five ICT centres in the country and intends to build three more this year, hoping that before she leaves, the country as the Chinese ambassador, Ghana would have had China-aided ICT centres in every region of the country.

She also mentioned the National Theatre, the new Cape Coast Sports Complex and the University of Health, as some state assets that received support from the Chinese government.

Mr Bombande acknowledged the enormous socio-economic development support the Chinese government has rendered to Ghana over the years, particularly over the last three decades.

President of GHACIFA, Kojo Amoo-Gottfried, seized the opportunity to dismiss allegations that Chinese illegal miners were being brought into the country by GHACHIFA and the government of Ghana.

According to him, “If truth must be told, the Chinese involved in galamsey in Ghana are neither state-sponsored nor brought in by GHACHIFA.”