by Justice Lee Adoboe
ACCRA, March 13 (Xinhua) -- At least 81 Ghanaian public sector workers from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and other ministries, departments and agencies graduated from an 11-week Chinese language proficiency training program on Thursday.
The graduates were trained under a partnership between the Confucius Institute at the University of Ghana and the Ghana Foreign Service Institute of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Perpetua Dufu, coordinating director of the Foreign Service Institute, said language is one of the most powerful instruments of diplomacy, which not only serves as a tool for communication but also as a gateway to understanding cultures, building trust and deepening cooperation among peoples and nations.
The Foreign Service Institute, in partnership with the Confucius Institute, introduced the Chinese language training program in 2025, "as part of our broader mandate to enhance the professional capacity of Ghana's public sector in diplomacy, international engagement and cross-cultural communication," she said.
"As Ghana continues to deepen its engagement with global partners, particularly China, such a partnership exemplifies the spirit of educational and cultural exchange that strengthens bilateral relations and enhances mutual understanding between our two countries and our two peoples," Dufu added.
Lawrence Lartey, a director at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said the Ghana-China partnership has expanded significantly across multiple sectors, including trade and investment, infrastructure development, education and cultural exchanges.
"Initiatives that promote the learning of the Chinese language among Ghanaian professionals are not only timely but also strategically important. They will contribute to strengthening mutual understanding, enhancing the effectiveness of bilateral cooperation and promoting people-to-people interactions across our two countries," he added.
Wen Fulin, counsellor from the Chinese Embassy in Ghana, highlighted the role of the Chinese language as a key to unlocking the wisdom of ancient Chinese civilization and a bridge connecting people from all countries with China.
"The Chinese Embassy will, as always, support the development of Chinese language education in Ghana by continuing to provide various scholarships and facilitating opportunities for Ghanaian students to study and train in China to deepen and solidify the China-Ghana strategic partnership," Wen said.
Liu Baijun, the Chinese director of the Confucius Institute at the University of Ghana, lauded the students for their patience and persistence.
He said that the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges is an opportunity for both sides to deepen friendship and understanding, while China's zero-tariff policy for African products also creates new opportunities for closer economic and trade cooperation between China and Africa, including Ghana.
"In this era of increasingly close China-Ghana and China-Africa ties, your acquired Chinese language skills will become a real competitive advantage and a vital bridge connecting China and Ghana in various fields of exchange and cooperation," Liu added.
Mabel Adorkor Annang, one of the graduating students, said the educational program brought out the best in her because she always wanted to get it right, particularly the tones and rhythm, which are essential to convey meaning in linguistics.
"China's initiative to introduce language learning to Ghana is commendable, as it will facilitate our interactions with China, a crucial partner in Ghana's economic growth. I would like to continue my studies to intermediate and advanced levels to improve my proficiency," Annang added.
The graduation ceremony also featured several performances presented by the graduating students, including songs in Chinese and dances. ■
