Chinese President Xi Jinping and Ghanaian President Nana Akufo-Addo have announced a significant elevation in diplomatic relations between the two countries, upgrading their ties to a strategic partnership.

The announcement came during a meeting on Thursday as part of President Akufo-Addo’s visit to Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

President Xi expressed China’s readiness to strengthen the alignment of its development strategies with Ghana and to provide further assistance to support Ghana's growth. He emphasized China's willingness to deepen collaboration in key sectors such as agriculture, fisheries, energy, mineral resources, and infrastructure, while also seeking continued support for Chinese enterprises and citizens operating in Ghana.

Xi also reaffirmed China’s commitment to backing Ghana’s position on the global stage. Specifically, he highlighted China's support for Ghana’s membership in the United Nations Human Rights Council for the 2024-2026 term and stressed the importance of enhanced cooperation on international and regional issues.

On his part, President Akufo-Addo thanked China for its long-term support to Ghana, saying that the investment and cooperation of Chinese enterprises has greatly promoted Ghana's economic and social development.

Despite the strengthening of relations, the issue of Ghana's debt to China remains a point of concern. A report submitted to the US Congress by the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission in December 2023 revealed that Ghana holds the highest amount of debt owed to China, with a total of $31.1 billion in loans accumulated since being declared a Highly Indebted Poor Country (HIPC) in 2004. This figure places Ghana ahead of other heavily indebted nations such as Guinea, Ethiopia, and Tanzania.