Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, Shi Ting Wang, has paid a farewell visit on Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration, Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey.
The Chinese Embassy to Ghana informed the Foreign Ministry that Ambassador Shi Ting Wang will he ending his tour of duty as China’s Ambassador to Ghana at the end of June 2020.
During his visit to the Ministry on June 5, 2020, the Minister conveyed through him to the Government of China, warm congratulations for successfully holding this year’s Two Sessions (The annual parallel meetings of the National People’s Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) which concluded on 25th May 2020;
According to her, she received with surprise, news of his recall but add that she understands that such routine changes are normal within the diplomatic community.
She however, expressed regret that he is leaving barely a month to the commemoration of the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Ghana and China.
She stated that though his tour of duty in Ghana has been short, his contribution to deepening Sino-Ghana relations has been immense.
According to her, during his tenure, Ghana and China reinforced their cooperation by collaborating on a wide range of bilateral and international issues bordering on diplomatic, political, economic, trade, investment, technology, security, cultural among others.
She explained with satisfaction that High-level visits, intensive interactions and exchanges between Ghanaian and Chinese Leaders had become frequent and fruitful during his tenure, and add that trade relations between the two countries had seen a marked increase resulting in China being the largest trading partner of Ghana whilst Ghana is the 7th largest trading partner of China in Africa.
Furthermore, she lauded him for the instrumental role he has played and continues to play in facilitating the approval from the Chinese side, Government’s priority infrastructure projects especially those under phase 1 of the Master Project Support Agreement between the Government of Ghana and Sinohydro.
She also thanked him for the influential role he played in ensuring the approval of funds by the Chinese Government for the construction of the Ministry’s annex building and express hope that actual construction will commence soon.
She seized the opportunity to convey on behalf of the Government and People of Ghana, appreciation for the tremendous assistance provided by the Chinese Government in support of Ghana’s socio-economic developmental agenda.
She observed that given the remarkable success chalked in the past six decades of Ghana and China’s relations, “it is your conviction that challenges and differences which are normal between close friends, are surmountable through continuous dialogue, understanding and adoption of pragmatic measures in order not to derail the hard won friendship and cooperation and the increasing trade, economic, and investment relations between our two countries and add that our two countries must therefore remain focused on the target of further strengthening our political, diplomatic, economic and cultural relations.
By Melvin Tarlue