Ghana bestows top honor on Chinese ambassador

China's outgoing ambassador to Ghana, Sun Baohong, has received the country's highest honor, becoming a member of the Order of the Star of Ghana, Honorary Division.

The award was conferred on her by Ghanaian President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

During a ceremony on April 11 at Ghana's seat of government, Jubilee House, in the capital of Accra, Akufo-Addo said the ambassador had worked to ensure tremendous achievements between the two countries during her tenure.

Sun took up her role in Ghana as the 14th Chinese ambassador on March 27, 2014.

Part of a citation accompanying the award, which was read by Foreign Affairs Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, said, "In recognition of your outstanding contribution to the socioeconomic development of Ghana, your calm disposition as a distinguished diplomat, which has helped enhance mutual understanding and cooperation between the people of Ghana and China, the Republic of Ghana confers on you, Sun Baohong, the state honor of the Republic of Ghana, Member of the Order of the Star of Ghana, Honorary Division."

Akufo-Addo said, "This is an ambassador who went the extra mile for us in Ghana. I think it is appropriate that we in Ghana should show our appreciation for this ambassador."

He said Ghana and China will continue to enjoy a strong relationship that respects differences in the political systems of the two countries, but recognizes that it is possible for sovereign, independent states to reach out across their differences and promote friendship and understanding between their peoples.

Sun said she hoped China-Ghana cooperation would experience a boom with a number of major projects that are set to begin, including the expansion of Tema Port, oil exploration in the Volta Basin, the Jamestown Fishing Port Complex, the second phase of the University of Health and Allied Sciences, a cocoa processing factory and the comprehensive development of the bauxite industry.

She said China supports Ghana's initiatives of "One District, One Factory", "One Village, One Dam" and "Planting for Food and Jobs" and welcomes the country's participation in the Belt and Road Initiative.

At a reception held in her honor, Sun said China-Ghana cooperation would not only benefit the two countries and their people but would also make an important contribution to the peace and development of Africa.

Expressing confidence that China-Ghana relations have bright prospects, she encouraged more Chinese enterprises to invest in Ghana's energy sector, resource development, agriculture and infrastructure, as well as construction, to create more job opportunities for young Ghanaians.

The ambassador said that, over the past four years, China had been the largest trading partner and main source of investment for Ghana. The volume of bilateral trade rose from$5.6 billion in 2014 to $6.68 billion in 2017, with Ghana's exports to China reaching a historic high of $1.85 billion.

China's registered investment projects in Ghana had risen from 691 in 2014 to 790 by the end of 2017, covering manufacturing, mining, energy, agriculture and the service industry, she said.

For China Daily

(China Daily Africa Weekly 04/20/2018 page2)