China's military assistance monumental- Kufuor

Accra, March 9, GNA- President John Agyekum Kufuor on Tuesday said the military assistance by China to Ghana was monumental in the cordial relationship between the two countries.

He said China had been supportive in operations of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) not only with the provision of equipment but financial assistance to build barracks and the Headquarters of the GAF.

President Kufuor made the observation when Major-General Zhang Bangdong, the visiting Chinese Director of Foreign Affairs of the Office of National Defence of the People's Republic of China paid a courtesy call on him at the Castle, Osu.

Major-General Zhang is at the head of a six-man delegation from China, who are in the country to acquaint themselves with the GAF.

He said China had offered more assistance to Ghana in the economic sector through manufacturing, training and infrastructures especially roads, adding, " I look forward to more co-operation between both countries".

President Kufuor said Ghana was proud to be related to China that was becoming more important in world affairs.

He said China was not only the most populous country but had great potentials in future to become an economic power and was willing to relate positively with the rest of the world.

Major-General Zhang said the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China attached great importance to the friendship between them and the GAF. He said the fruitful co-operation had not only been with the provision of equipment and materials, but training programmes as well.

Major-General Zhang said Ghana had made great contribution to world peace and stability.

He said President Kufuor was held in high esteem in China because of his assistance in 1971 to vote for China to secure a seat in the United Nations (UN) Security Council.

During the Second Republic in 1971, President Kufuor was the Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and among the delegation who attended the UN meeting that year.

Major-General Zhang on behalf of his country signed an agreement with Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor, Minister of Defence during a meeting at Burma Camp in Accra on Monday.

The agreement was a Chinese government military assistance grant of 10 million Chinese Yuan to the GAF to help mitigate their mobility problems.

The grant would be used to purchase vehicles to beef up GAF's transportation needs as well as for peacekeeping operations.