Accra, May 17, GNA - The Chinese Embassy in Accra processed more than 200,000 visas for Ghanaians to visit the People's Republic of China in 2008 to transact various businesses, Mr Yu Wenzhe, Chinese Ambassador to Ghana announced on Saturday.

He said China has become the largest investor in Ghana in terms of number of companies, noting that many Chinese companies in Ghana have been living up to their social responsibilities. Mr Yu, who was speaking at a forum organised by the Ghana-China Friendship Association (GHA-CHIFA) under the theme; "Doing Business in Ghana In A Friendly Way," urged successful Chinese businessmen and businesswomen to share their knowledge with their Ghanaian counterparts.

He said since differences in culture, customs and practices of both countries sometimes created barriers in communication resulting in misunderstanding, it was necessary for both Ghanaians and Chinese to learn each others' way of life.

Mr Yu said after the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in 2006, the mutually beneficial relationship between Ghana and China stepped into the fast track and has yielded good results in various fields.

He said apart from the cooperation between the two governments, which dated back to the era of Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah and Mao Zedong in the 1960s, people to people contact had also developed.

Mr Yu appealed to Ministries, Departments and Agencies to continue to improve the business environment to attract more foreign investment. Mr Kwesi Ahwoi, Minister of Food and Agriculture, said it was of absolute importance for the country not only to do business with other countries but should do so in a friendly win-win way that would keep all partners satisfied, motivated and desirous of doing even more business. Mr Kojo Ammo-Gottfried, President of GHACHIFA, said the founders of the Association believed that Ghana as a developing country had much to gain from China by forging close relations between the peoples of both countries. 17 May 09