Foreign and Military Affairs

Ghana leader lauds China relations

By Qin Jize (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-09-23 10:08

Ghanaian President John Evans Atta Mills reads China Daily before meeting reporters in an exclusive interview on Tuesday. [China Daily]

BEIJING - Visiting Ghanaian President John Evans Atta Mills is grateful for China's huge economic assistance to many developing nations, and hopes that his homeland will be able to achieve the UN's Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) with the investments and support of its Asian ally.

"China is bringing investment, expertise and knowledge for the benefit of the African people in a bid to help the continent to regain its rightful place, to achieve rapid progress," said the president in an exclusive interview with China Daily.

Noting that the African continent has long been a major focus of the MDGs, Mills expressed the Accra government's gratitude to Beijing for undertaking major projects in the country over the years.

"China is only doing what it does best to help us. Such movement is very much appreciated, and I am looking forward to China's continuing efforts in the future," he said.

Accompanied by a powerful delegation of Ministers, Ghanaian entrepreneurs and business leaders, President Mills is in China for a six-day state visit, which will conclude on Friday, is aimed at promoting more Chinese investment to his West African country.

The visit has, so far, secured a total of eight deals between the two countries ranging from financial assistance to the transportation of medical equipment and malaria drugs.

According to the agreements, China is to give Ghana a loan of $3 billion for a comprehensive development package.

The loan, which would be disbursed through the China Development Bank, constitutes the first phase of Chinese assistance, which would start rolling out in the next six months.

In addition, China would also give Ghana preferential buyers' credit of $260 million for the expansion of the Kpong Water Works project and another loan of $150 million for Ghana's e-governance project.

The Ghanaian president told China Daily that the Kpong water expansion project would contribute a lot towards helping Ghana to achieve the MDGs on water.

Relations between Beijing and Accra date back 50 years, and have been accelerated by the growing friendly ties between Mills and his Chinese host Hu Jintao.

Ten years ago, both men also served as vice presidents of their respective countries - and paid mutual visits to seal a number of agreements.

A decade on, the two nations are getting closer for deeper collaboration, with Mills lauding China for maintaining ties with Ghana "when other nations were not prepared to help us."

Mills also expressed a desire to see how Ghana and China might explore ways of cooperation in the fields of sports.