The seventeenth Chinese ambassador to Ghana, His Excellency Tong Defa, on Wednesday, October 16, 2024, paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel A. Jinapor, MP to officially announce his presence in the country as the foremost Chinese citizen and to share ideas on deepening the historically rich relationship between the two countries.
The visit by His Excellency Tong Defa also served as a platform for the two countries to reaffirm their commitment to the responsible and sustainable exploitation of Ghana’s mineral resources, where China’s presence and interest are significant and profound.
In his brief welcome address, Samuel A. Jinapor commended China for being a faithful partner to Ghana, noting that the relationship between Ghana and China has not only been in existence since Ghana’s independence but has also been hugely beneficial to the country’s development over the years.
He welcomed His Excellency Tong Defa’s gesture, noting that his visit is indicative of the Chinese government’s commitment to collaborating with Ghana to harness the country’s mineral resources within the scope of the law and environmental commitment.
The Minister stated that the Ministry will continue to work with the Chinese embassy and companies to ensure that they operate within an environment necessary for their growth.
“The relationship between our countries is strong and historic. We’ve had a strong relationship since independence. There is a lot of Chinese involvement in the large-scale mining industry of our country”, he stated.
“In the Upper East, there is Shandong Gold. Cardinal Namdini is going to be the third-largest mining company in the country when completed. They are also making plans to build an airport in Bolgatanga, which is very good”, the Minister added.
“We look forward to working closely to ensure that Chinese involvement in the management of our Lands and Natural Resources is done by Ghanaian laws and with regard for the environment of Ghana,” he said.
Disclosing the purpose of his visit, His Excellency Tong Defa noted that Ghana and China have collaborated in various fields, and his presence is to continue and improve on the work done by his predecessors.
He commended Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor for the warm welcome and assured him of his dedication to strengthening the bilateral relationships between the two countries.