The upcoming China-Africa Cooperation Forum will provide good chances for Ghanaians to explore trade and investment market, said a senior Ghanaian trade official.

"The forum will give us opportunities to know more about the world and encourage our businessmen to look for more market," said Daniel Hagan, director in charge of policy, price, monetary and exports in the Ministry of Trade and Industry, in a recent exclusive interview with Xinhua News Agency.

The forum also set a good example of cooperation among the developing countries, through which the collaborating sides could be benefited, said Hagan.

As for the ties between Ghana and China, Hagan said "the two countries have been enjoying good relations, especially in the fields of economy and trade. And we regard China as a key commercial ally."

"Over the past ten years as a mark of close relationship between Ghana and China, there have been a high level of official visits between the two countries."

"Since 1995, it has become a tradition that every year an official Chinese delegation led by top political leaders visit Ghana, apart from many private business delegations," he added.

Referring to the bilateral trade, Hagan said Ghana exports to China primary and semi-processed products such as cocoa beans and timber while importing "legendary" manufactured goods, stationary, textiles and chemicals.

"The Chinese goods are of good quality and low price, which make the goods very competitive in the market. That is why we import a lot from you (China) every year," said the director.

Talking about the difficulties that he might meet in dealing with the issue on bilateral trade, Hagan said "so far, I don't see any specific hindrance in the bilateral trade."

"But one thing I want to point out is that the terms of trade between the two countries favor China. Ghana therefore must do all she can to help her non-traditional export products find their way into the Chinese market," he stressed.

According to the trade statistics available from the Ghanaian government, during the past decade, Ghana has a trade deficit each year with China. In 2002 for example, Ghana exported goods of 13. 14 million US dollars to China while having an import of 130.87 million dollars from China.

In order to reverse the trend, Hagan said the Ghanaian government should make more efforts to encourage more exports to China.

"With China's admission to the World Trade Organization, the opportunity has been provided (to the Ghanaians) for greater and closer international trade ties with China."

"Plus, the upcoming China-Africa Cooperation Forum will also give the Ghanaians good chances to see, to trade and to explore market," Hagan added.

The China-Africa Cooperation Forum, which is within the framework of South-South cooperation, is expected to hold its second ministerial meeting on Dec. 15-16 this year in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

During the meeting, foreign ministers as well as ministers in charge of international trade cooperation from China and 46 forum member countries in Africa will hold discussions over the further cooperation between China and Africa in many fields, such as agriculture, infrastructures, investment and trade.

The first ministerial meeting of the forum was held in October 2000 in Beijing, China, during which a statement was declared to establish a cooperation system between China and Africa for common development. 甅DNM

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