President John Dramani Mahama has warmly welcomed a high-powered delegation from the World Chinese Business Advancement Association (WCBAA), led by its Chairman, Li Nonghe, during a high-profile diplomatic and economic engagement in Accra.
The visit, rich in cultural symbolism and economic potential, underscored the deepening friendship between Ghana and China’s business elite.
The WCBAA delegation featured a notable roster of Chinese entrepreneurs and institutional leaders, including Fan Yurong, Chairman of the Beijing Jiangsu Chamber of Commerce; Lin Duansheng, Chairman of the Oriental Grandeur Group; Chen Zhixiang, President of the Asia Unification Promotion Association; and Lin Ruibin, the WCBAA Overseas Secretary-General and Asia Regional General Manager of Alpha Synergy Energy Co., Ltd.
Upon receiving Chairman Li Nonghe at Jubilee House, President Mahama greeted him with a warm embrace, reminiscing about their first encounter in Dubai in 2022.
Describing their relationship as one of longstanding friendship and mutual respect, the President recalled how Chairman Li had embraced him during a time when he had no official role.
He noted, “I first met Mr. Li in Dubai in 2022, when I was relatively unknown. He welcomed me generously and appointed me as Honorary Chairman of the Association. I told him then that I would be elected President in the next term—and now my aspiration has been realized.”
In his response, Chairman Li congratulated President Mahama on his re-election and explained that although the Association had received an invitation to attend the President’s inauguration, they were unable to participate due to a major international conference.
“We hope you will accept this belated blessing,” he said, reaffirming the Association’s commitment to Ghana’s development.
Donations Cement Friendship
One of the major highlights of the visit was a generous cultural donation made by Zhejiang Zhongnan Group, a Chinese media and production company. The company donated to Ghana the five-year broadcasting rights for Tianyan—translated as Magic Eye is Back—a 500-episode Chinese animated series co-produced with China Central Television (CCTV).
The donation was symbolically handed over during a formal event presided over by Professor Amin Alhassan, Director-General of the Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) and head of Ghana Television.
The Ghanaian government hailed the gift as a significant milestone in Ghana-China cultural relations and a demonstration of enduring friendship through the arts and media.
The philanthropic spirit of the visit continued with another substantial donation: pharmaceuticals worth $1 million were presented to the Ghanaian Elderly Security Fund by the Jiangsu Pacific Monocle Pharmaceutical Group, through the WCBAA delegation.
The medication is aimed at treating targeted ailments among Ghana’s elderly population.
President Mahama, deeply moved by the gesture, expressed his appreciation to the donors, stating that the gift was not only generous but timely, as it directly supported a vulnerable segment of Ghanaian society.
Deepening Economic and Trade Exchanges
Beyond cultural exchange and charity, the visit was marked by intense discussions between the WCBAA delegation and Ghanaian counterparts across various strategic sectors. Leading members of the delegation such as Han Shengli, Chairman of UAE Boli Investment Company; Jiang Weiwei, Chairman of Shanghai Haohan Culture Media Co., Ltd.; Wang Shijin, Chairman of Shanghai Zhongsheng Jincheng Industrial Equipment Co., Ltd.; and Li Chao, Chairman of Shanghai Chusan Film Group, participated in closed-door sessions and industry roundtables. The areas of engagement were diverse and far-reaching, covering photovoltaic energy, electric vehicle assembly, mineral investment and extraction, infrastructure development, real estate expansion, energy cooperation, healthcare innovation, and environmental management, particularly in the area of waste disposal.
Although no formal investment agreements were signed during the visit, both sides acknowledged that significant progress had been made in establishing the foundations for commercial partnerships.
President Mahama’s team indicated that follow-up actions began almost immediately after the WCBAA delegation returned to Hong Kong, reflecting the seriousness of intent and the potential scale of future cooperation.
The success of the visit was also facilitated by seasoned members of the Chinese business community based in Ghana, who provided vital local knowledge, strategic guidance, and access to key stakeholders.
Among them was Xu Ningquan, a pioneering Chinese entrepreneur with over three decades of experience in Ghana. He is the only foreign investor in the country with large-scale ownership of oil refineries and steel plants and holds a traditional chieftaincy title, signaling his deep integration into Ghanaian society.
Duan Dezhi, Chairman of Huashan International Group—ranked 364th on the Fortune Global 500 list—also played a major role. His company is responsible for many iconic buildings in Ghana. Tang Hong, Chairman of Tang Palace Hotel and President of the Ghana Federation of Chinese Associations, was another key figure. A senior community leader, Tang has lived in Ghana for more than 30 years and was instrumental in coordinating the visit.
The combination of cultural diplomacy, philanthropic goodwill, and economic engagement made the WCBAA visit one of the most impactful diplomatic exchanges Ghana has hosted in recent years.
It was not only a testament to the personal rapport between President Mahama and Chairman Li but also a broader expression of mutual ambition to build robust, multidimensional partnerships between Ghana and the Chinese business world.
At the close of the engagement, President Mahama reiterated Ghana’s openness to credible foreign investment, especially from long-standing partners like China. He said the visit symbolized more than business—it was about mutual respect, shared values, and a future of shared prosperity.