President Mahama Hosts Chinese Business Delegation to Strengthen Ghana-China Economic Ties
President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to deepening ties with China’s business elite following high-level talks with a visiting delegation from the World Chinese Business Advancement Association (WCBAA) in Accra.
The delegation, led by WCBAA Chairman Li Nonghe, brought together a cadre of influential Chinese entrepreneurs and investors, underscoring the growing strategic importance of Sino-Ghanaian economic relations. The visit, punctuated by diplomatic symbolism, cultural exchange, and philanthropic gestures, reflects Accra’s ambition to position itself as a preferred destination for Chinese capital and industrial cooperation in West Africa.
Speaking at Jubilee House, President Mahama highlighted his longstanding personal rapport with Chairman Li, recalling their first meeting in Dubai in 2022, when he was outside of public office. “At the time, I shared with Mr. Li my aspiration to return to leadership. Today, that vision has materialised, and I am pleased to welcome him and his distinguished delegation to Ghana,” President Mahama said.
In response, Chairman Li extended his belated congratulations on Mahama’s re-election, citing scheduling conflicts that prevented the Association’s attendance at the President’s inauguration. He reaffirmed the WCBAA’s readiness to contribute to Ghana’s development through deeper commercial and cultural engagement.
The visit yielded notable symbolic gestures, including the donation of a 500-episode Chinese animated television series, Tianyan, to Ghana Broadcasting Corporation – a move framed as a milestone in cultural diplomacy. In addition, pharmaceuticals valued at $1 million were presented to the Ghanaian Elderly Security Fund, a charitable gesture intended to enhance healthcare provision for vulnerable populations.
While no formal investment agreements were signed, closed-door discussions covered sectors central to Ghana’s industrial ambitions, including renewable energy, electric vehicle assembly, minerals, infrastructure, real estate, healthcare innovation, and environmental management.
Analysts view the visit as part of a broader strategy by Accra to attract foreign direct investment (FDI) from China, at a time when competition for Chinese capital across the African continent is intensifying. China remains one of Ghana’s largest trading partners and a key source of infrastructure financing.
The talks also highlighted the role of veteran Chinese investors already embedded in Ghana’s economy. Business figures such as Xu Ningquan, the only foreign investor with large-scale holdings in Ghana’s oil and steel sectors, and Tang Hong, chairman of Tang Palace Hotel and President of the Ghana Federation of Chinese Associations, were instrumental in facilitating the engagement.
For Mahama, whose administration faces the dual challenge of stabilising Ghana’s macroeconomic environment while unlocking new sources of growth, the deepening of ties with China’s business community offers an avenue for both economic diversification and strategic partnership.
“Ghana remains open for credible foreign investment,” President Mahama stressed. “But this visit is not just about business—it reflects the mutual respect and shared prosperity we aspire to achieve.”
The WCBAA delegation’s visit is expected to pave the way for future commercial agreements, with follow-up engagements already underway. Both sides have signalled intent to move from symbolic overtures to concrete investments in the near term.
