Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao arrived in Accra Sunday afternoon on
a two-day official visit to Ghana at the invitation of Ghanaian
President John Agyekum Kufuor.
Ghana is the second leg of Wen's seven-African nation tour,
which has already taken him to Egypt and will also take him to the
Republic of Congo, Angola, South Africa, Tanzania and Uganda.
In a written statement delivered upon arrival at the airport,
Wen said China and Ghana share profound traditional friendship.
"Over the past half century or so, the relationship between
China and Ghana has withstood the test of time and changes in the
international environment and registered strong growth," said
Wen.
"The China-Ghana cooperation in the political, economic, trade,
cultural, educational and health fields has made steady progress,"
said the statement.
He said the Chinese government places high value on enhancing
friendship and cooperation with Ghana and will work with the
Ghanaian side to build on past achievements and make new progress
in China-Ghana friendship and cooperation.
Wen expressed the hope that his visit will strengthen
traditional Sino-Ghana relationship, enhance political mutual trust
and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation between the two
countries and lift the bilateral relations to a new high.
The Chinese premier is expected to exchange views with President
Kufuor on bilateral relations and international and regional issues
of mutual interests.
Wen is scheduled to attend a ceremony on Monday for the
completion of a road in Ghana built with technical assistance and
interest-free loan provided by the Chinese government.
This is Premier Wen's second visit to Africa since he went to
Ethiopia in 2003 to attend the second ministerial meeting of
China-Africa Cooperation Forum.
"Wen's visit will be China's another important act in its
diplomacy toward Africa, following the publication of African
policy documents early this year and a successful visit by Chinese
President Hu Jintao to three African nations in April," said
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Liu Jianchao ahead of Wen's
trip.
(Xinhua News Agency June 19, 2006)