Bilateral relations between Ghana and China have been enhanced with the visit of the 43rd Chinese Naval Escort Task Group to Ghana.

The Escort Task Group with their naval warships were received at the Port of Tema, last Tuesday, as part of diplomatic missions in Africa.

Before calling Ghana, the Escort Task Group has been on mission since January 10 this year. This includes escort missions in the Gulf of Aden where they evacuated Chinese nationals from Sudan following the conflict.

With the visit to Ghana, both parties hope to strengthen political trust, cultural ties, and military cooperation between the two countries.
The colourful ceremony brought together members of the armed forces, diplomats, and the Chinese community in Ghana.

Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Lu Kun, said the port call aimed at deepening understanding, and would further consolidate the Ghana-China friendship and expand cooperation.

“China-Ghana relations are developing strongly, political trust between our two countries is enhancing, pragmatic cooperation is flourishing, cultural ties are increasingly closer and the military cooperation is making considerable progress. This year our two Armed Forces have steered from the negative impact of the covid-19,” he said.

Deputy Minister of Defence, Kofi Amankwa-Manu said the visit was appropriate and timely as the Government of Ghana is strategically deepening its relationship with its valued partners.

“Enhancing existing partnership between China and Ghana under a broader defense cooperation is important in the face of the deteriorating security within the West African Sub-Region, enhance security cooperation in the maritime domain will also help address some of the maritime security threats. Contemporary threats to security such as terrorism, violent extremity, climate change, pandemics, and epidermic can only be addressed through cooperation and collaboration between each other.”