By Stephen Asante, GNA, Courtesy Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China
Chengdu (China), Sept. 17, GNA - The Sichuan Province in China, has stated its readiness to engage regions in Ghana in sister-city relations.
"We share similar socio-economic and cultural aspirations with the people of Ghana.
"It will be appropriate, therefore, to take advantage of our long-standing partnership to share development experiences and also explore business opportunities for the mutual benefit of the two countries," Mr. Chen Weide, Director of the Information Office of the Provincial Government, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Chengdu, China.
This was at a dinner organised by the Provincial Government for some visiting Ghanaian media practitioners at Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan.
The visit was facilitated by the Ministry of Information and China International Publishing Group (CIPG) Training Centre.
It was in line with an on-site teaching programme to keep the media practitioners abreast with the administrative set-up, governance system, development trends and potentials of the Province.
Sichuan has a population of over 80 million, and is one of the major agricultural bases of China, contributing significantly to the agricultural Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of China.
Grains, including rice and wheat, are the major produces. Other commercial crops produce from this area are citrus, sugar cane, sweet potatoes, peaches and grapes.
Some important heavy industries ranging from coal, energy, iron to steel, as well as light industrial sector for wood, food and silk processing are found in the area.
Mr. Weide told the GNA that the Province's nominal GDP for 2017 was 3.69 trillion yuan an equivalent of 53.9 billion US dollars, adding that, due to the area's growing economic importance to China, the Central Government had stepped up infrastructural development of the area.
He observed that with its high technological advancement, the Provincial Government was ready to assist Ghana in the area of technology transfer.
"We know Ghana's economy is agro-based, and this is one area the two countries can take advantage of, especially using scientific innovations to boost best agricultural practices for increased productivity," Mr Weide said.
Ghana ranks second to Nigeria in yam production on the African continent, and also has in abundance fertile landscapes for other roots and tuber, as well as vegetable and grain production.
However, the country has consistently failed to reach its optimal agro-production level due to varied factors, including inadequate infrastructure, post-harvest losses, use of obsolete farming implements and lack of technical know-how in farming activities.
Mr. Kofi Ohene Benning, Acting Director in-charge of Human Resource at the Ministry of Information, who led the media team, said it was imperative that Ghana maximized investment in infrastructure, particularly in tourist sites to enhance domestic and international tourism.
He was of the view that the country had many interesting and historical landscapes and monuments, water bodies, including Lake Bosomtwe, a UNESCO-designated world heritage site, as well as castles and forts, and other museums of which the country could develop for economic growth.
Sichuan's beautiful landscapes, well-structured traditional architectural planning and rich historical relics has also made the Province a major centre for tourism.
GNA
Read Full Story
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
Google+
YouTube
LinkedIn
RSS