1. Bilateral political relations

 

The People's Republic of China established diplomatic relations with the Republic of Ghana on July 5, 1960. In September 1966, the Ghana government coming to power through coup d'état severed unilaterally the diplomatic relations with China. Later in January 1972, the government with I. K. Acheampong at the head restored, of its own accord, the diplomatic relations with China and afterward the relations between the two countries saw a smooth development.

 

Since the establishment of diplomatic relations Chinese leaders and officials who visited Ghana mainly include: Premier Zhou Enlai and Vice Premier and concurrently Foreign Minister Chen Yi (January 1964); Vice Premier Geng Biao (October 1978); Vice Premier and concurrently Foreign Minister Huang Hua (December 1981); Vice Premier Li Peng (October 1986); State Councilor and concurrently Foreign Minister Qian Qichen (January 1992); Chen Muhua, vice chairwoman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) and concurrently chairwoman of All-China Women's Federation (April 1996); Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan (June 1998); Vice President Hu Jintao (January 1999); State Councilor Wu Yi (January 2000); Xu Jialu, vice chairman of the NPC Standing Committee (May 2001); Vice Foreign Minister Yang Wenchang (June 2002); and Vice Commerce Minister Wei Jianguo (March 2004), etc.

 

Leaders and officials who visited China from Ghana mainly include: President Kwame Nkrumah (August 1961, February 1966); Head of the State and President Jerry John Rawlings (September 1985, December 1995); P. V. Obeng, prime minister and president of ministers' council (October 1989); Daniel Francis Annan, speaker of the National Assembly (April 1996); Kojo Tsikata, state security counselor and concurrently member of the state council (September 1997); Foreign Minister James Victor Gbeho (January 2000); Vice President John Evans Atta Mills (July 2000); Peter Ala Adjetey, speaker of the National Assembly (August 2002); and President John Agyekum Kufuor (October 2002), etc.

 

In October 2000, Foreign Minister James Victor Gbeho and Dan Abodakpi, minister of trade and industry attended the Beijing Ministerial Meeting 2000 of China-Africa Cooperation Forum.

 

2. Bilateral economy and trade relations and economic and technological cooperation

 

China and Ghana signed agreement of economic and technological cooperation and trade agreement. The Chinese side has aided Ghana in the construction of a national theater, Afefi Irrigation Project, vocational training center, Dangme East District Hospital, the complete sets of project, providing Ghana with cotton-textile machineries, methane-gas equipment and also carried out the technical cooperation project for Nobewam Farmland Irrigation Project and for national theater, etc.

 

In 2005, the trade value of China and Ghana came to US$769 million, of which the Chinese export made up US$673 million while the import was US96 million. The main exporting products from China are: light industry products, textile goods, mechanic and electric equipment, medical and chemical materials and so on, while the imports include: timber pieces, cocoa beans and natural rubber, etc.

 

The mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Ghana was started in 1983 and up to the end of 2004 the total value of the contracts signed by the Chinese companies for workforce undertakings reached US$390 million. The projects undertaken include: bank building, woolen-sweater mill, school buildings and water-supply project, etc. So far the Chinese companies registered in Ghana consist of China Building Engineering Corporation, China Hydraulic Engineering and Power Company for Foreign Business, China Telecommunication Construction Corporation, Guangzhou International Company and Shaanxi Building Engineering Corporation, a total of over 10 companies.

 

3. Cooperation in the fields of culture, education military affairs

 

China and Ghana signed agreement for cultural cooperation. Starting from 1960, China began to accept students from Ghana to study. Up to now there are a total of 31 Ghana students studying in China and China sent two teachers to do teaching work in Ghana University.

 

There is a better relationship of the two armies between China and Ghana with the increase of exchanges during recent years. In 1997, E. K. T. Donkoh, Ghana minister of national defense, visited China. In June 1998, a military delegation headed by General Fang Zuqi, political commissar of Nanjing Military Zone, paid a friendly visit to Ghana and in August that year Ghana Army-Commander Major General J. H. Smith visited China. In June 2000, E. K. T. Donkoh visited China again.

 

4. Important bilateral agreement and document

 

Joint Communiqué on the Establishment of the Diplomatic Relations Between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Ghana (July 1960)

 

(Chinese Foreign Ministry October 10, 2006)