TEMA, Ghana, June 5 (ChinaMil) -- The 28th Chinese naval escort taskforce consisting of the guided-missile frigates Yancheng and Weifang and the comprehensive supply ship Taihu arrived at the Port of Tema of Ghana on June 4 for a four-day friendly visit. This is the first time for the Chinese naval ships to visit Ghana.
The three Chinese naval ships were warmly received at the dock by a grand welcoming ceremony held by the Ghanaian side at around 9 a.m. local time. Over 300 people including the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana Wang Shiting, the Chief of Defense Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces Lt. Gen. Obed Akwa, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration of Ghana Charles Owiredu, staff members of the Chinese Embassy and local overseas Chinese welcomed the taskforce at the port.
During the visit, the commanding officers of the taskforce will call on high-level military and government officials of Ghana, visit the Kofi Annan International Peacekeeping Training Centre, the Command Academy of Ghana Armed Forces and a local primary school in Tema. Naval officers and soldiers of the two sides will visit each other's warships, hold exchange activities such as tug-of-war games and basketball matches.
Tema is a coastal city in southern Ghana and the northern side of the Gulf of Guinea. It is about 26 kilometers from Accra, the capital of Ghana. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Ghana in 1960, the bilateral relations have been developing smoothly, as evidenced by close high-level contacts and fruitful exchanges and cooperation in multiple areas.