Vice President Professor Nana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has commended the outgoing Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Tong Defa, for what she described as a remarkable and impactful tour of duty.
She made the remarks when Ambassador Tong Defa paid a farewell call on her at the Jubilee House in Accra on January 20. The meeting provided an opportunity for both sides to reflect on the progress made in Ghana–China relations during the Ambassador’s tenure.
Ambassador Tong Defa, who has served in Ghana for several years, highlighted the significant growth in bilateral relations, noting that trade between the two countries has reached an unprecedented US$15 billion. According to him, this milestone reflects the deepening economic engagement and strong partnership between Accra and Beijing. He also outlined key initiatives undertaken during his time in Ghana, including Chinese support for major infrastructure and education projects across the country.
In her response, Professor Opoku-Agyemang expressed profound gratitude to the Ambassador for his dedication and contributions to strengthening bilateral ties. She particularly praised his role in advancing the zero-tariff agreement and facilitating Chinese government grants for critical projects such as the Aflao Market and the Catholic Science and Technology University in Damongo.
The Vice President encouraged Ambassador Tong Defa to continue promoting goodwill towards Ghana in his future assignments and reaffirmed Ghana’s commitment to expanding trade, investment, and people-to-people relations with China. She also expressed appreciation for the warm reception accorded President John Dramani Mahama during his recent visit to China, which resulted in the adoption of a new blueprint for future cooperation between the two countries.
Professor Opoku-Agyemang emphasized the need for Ghana and China to continually review and strengthen their partnership, especially in light of the evolving global economic environment. She wished Ambassador Tong Defa safe travels and expressed confidence that the incoming Chinese Ambassador would build on the strong foundation of cooperation already established.
She concluded by noting that Ghana looks forward to sustained collaboration with China in key areas such as trade, infrastructure, education, and other sectors of mutual interest.
