"In recent years, China-Ghana political mutual trust has been deepened, economic and trade ties have become closer, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges have achieved many highlights.

"At the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) last September, the bilateral relationship of our two countries was elevated to Strategic Partnership, which laid out a blueprint and charted the course for a better future," Mr. Tong Defa, the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, noted.

The Chinese Ambassador was addressing guests at this year's Spring Festival celebration in Accra, that was on the theme "Embracing the Chinese New Year 2025."

Organized by the Embassy of the People's Republic of China in Ghana, the event aimed to strengthen bonds within the Chinese community and reflect their aspirations for a better life.

The festival, one of China's most significant traditional celebrations, was recently added to UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The event also featured solidarity messages from the Ghana Association of Chinese Societies, China Enterprises Chamber of Commerce in Ghana, and the Chinese Association of Fujian in Ghana.

"Today, the Spring Festival has not only become a bond between the Chinese people at home and abroad, but also a cultural bridge for people around the world to know China, approach China and understand China.

"It is a touching time for bidding farewell to the old and ushering in the new, as well as for family reunions and integration," Ambassador Defa stated.

The Chinese Ambassador noted that the Spring Festival embodied 5,000 years of Chinese history and culture, extending wishes for a prosperous Chinese New Year filled with good health, joy, and success in all endeavors.

He also said that despite the escalating international situation and ongoing geopolitical conflicts, China had made considerable progress in advancing high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.

On the economic front, Ambassador Defa noted that China's GDP reached 134.9 trillion yuan (about US$18.6 trillion), marking a five percent increase, and meeting the country's set objectives.
"Contributing 26 per cent to global economic growth, China is still an important engine of world economic growth," he added, saying, for the first time, grain output exceeded 700 billion kilogrammes.

Automobile production and sales exceeded 31 million, and 5.859 million were exported, the Ambassador said.

"The annual sales volume of new energy vehicles surpassed 12 million for the first time, and the sales volume of new energy vehicles exceeded 40.9 per cent," he noted.
Ambassador Defa said China's total foreign trade reached a record high of 43.85 trillion yuan
(approximately US$6.03 trillion), while that with the countries jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative exceeded the total amount by 50 per cent.

He indicated that there was a marked increase in the number of people traveling to China for business and tourism, with 610 million inbound and outbound visits