Chinese Ambassador bids farewell to President

Accra (Greater Accra) 15 Oct '99

President Jerry John Rawlings on Thursday called for expanded Sino-Ghanaian economic co-operation, saying Chinese technology and products are cheaper than those from western countries.

He said Chinese consultants are excellent and the quality of goods from China could be compared with those from other parts of the world.

"Made-in-China goods and services are affordable to developing countries", President Rawlings said when he granted audience to Mr Li Zupei, the Ambassador of China, at the Castle, Osu.

Mr Li called to say farewell after a two-year duty tour. He is going home to serve as Deputy Foreign Minister.

"There is a need for Ghana and China to hold regular consultations to identify areas of co-operation. If the bureaucracy in either Ghana or China tends to retard progress then we have to deal with it", he said.

President Rawlings said the United States had shown clear understanding of and appreciation of China's progress, its problems and the methods it is using to deal with them.

"The US is waking up to China's worth, both in political and economic terms.

"It is our hope that the US will extend that understanding to other parts of the world".

Mr Victor Gbeho, Minister of Foreign Affairs, expressed government's appreciation for Chinese assistance over the past years, adding "we believe we can learn more from China".

Mr Gbeho went down memory lane and said Chinese assistance poured into Ghana immediately after independence when China was emerging from a revolution and had problems.

"China offered scholarships and other training facilities", Mr Gbeho said.

Mr Li said trade between Ghana and China has been on the increase and that last year, Ghana ranked 10th in Africa as China's major trading partner and fourth in Sub-Sahara Africa.

He expressed his government's gratitude to Ghana for its support at various international forums, especially its support for China's policy over Taiwan.

GRi../