Chinese VP Han Zheng pledges to deepen ties with Ghana, Cyprus

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng said Friday that China is ready to steadily deepen its strategic partnerships with Ghana and Cyprus during separate meetings with Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides.

The meetings were held in New York on the sidelines of the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly.

Enhancing cooperation under new circumstances

During his meeting with the Ghanaian president, Han said China is willing to work with Ghana to implement the important consensus reached by the two heads of state, carry forward traditional friendship, consolidate political mutual trust, expand practical cooperation, and steadily deepen the China-Ghana strategic partnership.

Han said the China-Ghana friendship was forged by the older generation of leaders of the two countries and has stood the test of time.

China and Ghana share broad common ground in promoting unity, self-reliance, development and revitalization among countries of the Global South, Han said, calling on the two sides to firmly support each other and enhance solidarity and cooperation under the new circumstances.

China is willing to advance cooperation with Ghana in areas including mining, green energy, vocational training and youth development, he said.

Han called on Ghana to continue providing a favorable business environment for Chinese enterprises to invest and operate in the country and make full and effective use of the zero-tariff policy to better achieve mutual benefit and common development.

Mahama said that Ghana-China relations enjoy a profound historical foundation and that Ghana sincerely appreciates China's valuable support and assistance over the years.

Ghana always adheres to the one-China policy and looks forward to strengthening cooperation with China in fields such as trade, investment, mining and manufacturing, and enhancing people-to-people exchanges to continuously enrich bilateral relations, Mahama said.

Ghana supports China's global initiatives and stands ready to deepen multilateral coordination with China and cooperation within the framework of the African Union, he said, adding that the two sides will jointly promote a fairer and more just international order.

Deepening strategic partnership with Cyprus

In his meeting with Christodoulides, Han said China stands ready to work with Cyprus to build a more fruitful strategic partnership that delivers greater benefits to the two peoples.

Han said that although China and Cyprus differ in social systems and cultural traditions, the two countries have always respected each other and treated each other as equals, setting a good example of friendship and cooperation for the international community.

Noting that this year marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries and the fifth anniversary of their strategic partnership, Han said that China is willing to work with Cyprus to consolidate their strategic mutual trust, deepen mutually beneficial cooperation and strengthen multilateral coordination.

Christodoulides said that Cyprus firmly adheres to the one-China policy and has always been a trustworthy partner of China. He looks forward to strengthening high-level exchanges with China, consolidating strategic mutual trust, deepening exchanges and cooperation in such areas as science and technology, agriculture and tourism, and enhancing multilateral coordination.

(With input from Xinhua)