2010 WORLD EXPO OPENS IN CHINA (PAGE2, MAY 1, 2010)

CHINA has hailed Ghana for her democratic credentials and promised to support the country to build on what has been achieved so far.
The Chinese Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs in-charge of Africa Affairs, Mr Zhai Jun, told the Daily Graphic in an interview in the Chinese capital of Beijing last Thursday that, Ghana’s record in the rule of law was a shining example for the rest of Africa and that the Chinese government would continue to provide the necessary assistance to advance the process.
He said it was worth recognising that said since 1992, Ghana had been the torchbearer of Africa’s democracy having changed governments three times through various successful elections.
Mr Zhai who was speaking after a meeting with a group of Africa journalists covering the World Expo 2010 in Shanghai which opend yesterday said it was for this and other reasons that the Chinese government had invited President John Evans Atta Mills for a state visit to China this year.
He indicated that the government of the People’s Republic of China was in discussion with its Ghanaian counterparts to get a date fixed for the visit.
He used the opportunity to commend President Mills for his efforts to bring the people together to develop their nation and expressed the hope that the Ghanaian people would continue to join hands with the government to build their country.
At the meeting with the African journalists, the vice minister noted that China and African countries had a common goal of development, which is based on a win-win situation.
He, however, noted that as the strongest developing nation in the world, China had every reason to support the weaker ones to come up in their development strides.
He indicated that strengthening diplomatic relations with Africa is very important to China “and we shall not deviate from that.”
He acknowledged the growing media exchanges between China and Africa countries stressing that the two sides needed journalists to serve as a bridge between their quests to learn more from each other.
“The media exchanges between the two sides are becoming much stronger,” he said and disclosed that currently, four media organisations in Africa had permanent representatives in China who are operating with all the freedom at their disposal.
He, therefore, expressed the hope that other Africa media organizations would establish their presence in China.
Mr Zhai noted that the growth of Sino-Africa media relations was necessary because of the way the western media perceive things differently in the developing world.
“The practice where African media use the western media as a tool for advancing their course must change because it has not helped the continent,” he stressed.
He said the Chinese government was offering scholarships to more than 5000 people from Africa each year to study in Chinese educational institutions.
He further told the meeting that the Chinese government had established 20 ICT institutions in various Africa countries where the study of the Chinese language was being given attention.