Kofi Ampeah Woode
The Chinese Embassy in Ghana commemorated the 98th Anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) with a dinner, where China touted its credentials as a builder of World Peace, contributor to Global Development, defender of International Order, and the Chinese Military as a force of justice always trustworthy and reliable.
At the commemorative event held at the Ambassador’s Residence in Accra on Wednesday 30 July 2025, the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to Ghana – His Excellency (HE) Tong Defa, expressed confidence that China and Ghana would keep to the original aspiration, and to the founding spirit of their diplomatic ties.
He also conveyed his wishes that the two countries’ would continue to uphold mutual respect, a win-win cooperation, and work hand-in-hand to build an all-weather China-Africa Community, with a shared future for the New Era.
In a historic perspective, the Ambassador presented a narrative of China’s activities in this manner;
In the past 98 years, under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, the Chinese Military has made indelible contributions to the independence of the nation, the liberation of its people, and the development of the country, always serving as a strong safeguard for China’s sovereignty, security, and development interests;
Since the beginning of modern times, he said, the Chinese people suffered from aggression and wars, thus learning the value of peace and the pressing need for development, developing through its people’s hard work, and efforts to maintain peace;
Since its founding 76 years ago, China has never started any war or conflict, growing from a poor and weak country to be the world’s 2nd largest economy, neither by receiving hand-outs from others, nor by engaging in military expansion or colonial plunder.
80 years ago, the forces of justice around the world, including China and Ghana (then Gold Coast), united against common foes and defeated overbearing fascist powers; and from 1931 to 1945, through 14 years of arduous and bloody war of resistance, China suffered over 35 million military and civilian casualties.
China’s War of Resistance continuously contained and resisted the main forces of Japanese militarism and annihilated more than 1.5 million Japanese troops, playing a decisive role in the total defeat of Japanese aggressors, making significant contributions to the victory of the World Anti-Fascist War.
During World War 2 (WWII), Ghana played a significant role by providing important resources, logistic and manpower support to the Allies, where over 65,000 Ghanaians fought in the 1944 Battle of Myohaung, which helped drive Japanese aggressors out of Burma (now Myanmar) – for which reason Ghana’s military headquarters is named BURMA CAMP.
In reference to some instruments under international law, including the Cairo Declaration, the Potsdam Proclamation, and the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758 having all affirmed China’s sovereignty over Taiwan, he extended heartfelt gratitude to Ghana for the consistent support of China’s reunification efforts.
Ghana is one of the first African countries to establish diplomatic relations with the PRC in 1960, thus 2025 marks the 65th anniversary of China-Ghana diplomatic relations, and the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression, and the World Anti-Fascist War.
On policy, Ambassador Defa said China will unswervingly follow the path of peaceful development, pursue an independent foreign policy of peace and a national defence policy that is defensive in nature, opposing hegemony and power politics in all forms, and will never seek hegemony or expansion.
Ghana’s Defence Minister – Dr (Medicine) Edward Kofi Omane Boamah, who was the Guest of Honour of the occasion, buttressed earlier assertions on Ghana-China partnership, which he said, is built on mutual respect, trust and cooperation, where the two nations collaborate on international and regional affairs.
He then cited a number of benefits Ghana has derived from its defence cooperation with China, which provided invaluable assistance to Ghana’s military, enhancing capabilities through infrastructural development, training, and equipment support.
Some of the benefits include; the Chinese Military Aid of USD50 Million per annum for the construction of facilities for the National College of Defence Studies, and the construction of the Ministry of Defence building worth USD50 Million in 2007.
China recently funded nine critical military buildings in Ghana, which included the Army Recruitment Training School at Shai-Hills, the Naval Training Command at Nutekpor, the Air Force Training School at Takoradi, and the Battle Training Camp at Bundase. https://ghanapeacejournal.com/apots-receives-new-hq-under-china-ghana-military-aid-project/
There is also the massive Phase 1 redevelopment of the Ghana Military Academy, which has seen transformation at the National Defence University’s constituent college, such as the huge Cadet’s Mess, the Amoama Auditorium, the Lecture Rooms Block, the 3-storey accommodation blocks, the new asphalted Parade Square, and the Akufo-Addo Administration Block and Vehicle Park.
Dr Boamah used the occasion to solicit for China’s support and expertise, in addressing West Africa’s security landscape threats by fundamentalists, violent extremists, terrorists, and pirates, and urged that the two countries work together to enhance collective security.
Colonel Dou Yan – the Chinese Embassy in Accra’s third Defence Attaché since 1960 – in a speech recalled a brief history of the PLA, saying, 98 years ago, the Chinese nation was at a survival or extinction time.
The Nanchang Uprising on 1st August, 1927, marked the beginning of the independent armed struggle led by the Communist Party of China, and the founding of the Chinese Armed Forces.
Since then, the Chinese Military fulfilled its historic mission of seeking liberation, happiness, independence, and the rejuvenation for the Chinese nation.
The DA said the Chinese Military advocates common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security, actively fulfilling its international responsibilities and obligations as a major-country military, participating in UN peace support operations (UNPSO), and vessel protection operations.
The PLA also provides international efforts in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, strengthening international cooperation in arms control and non-proliferation, playing a constructive role in the political settlement of hotspot issues, maintaining the security of international passages, and making joint efforts to respond to global challenges.
China is the largest troop-contributing country among the permanent members of the UN Security Council for peacekeeping operations, maintaining a peacekeeping standby force of 8,000 soldiers.
Since 1990, the Chinese Military has carried out 25 PSOs, dispatching more than 50,000 peacekeeping Officers and Soldiers, to over 20 countries and regions, with 17 Officers and Soldiers paying the ultimate price for the cause of UN PSO, thus making new and greater contributions to building a better world of lasting peace and universal security.
The Chinese Navy has sent 47 Task Forces to conduct Escort Missions in the Gulf of Aden, and the waters off Somalia since 2008, providing protection for over 1,600 batches of Chinese and foreign vessels.
The Chinese Navy’s Hospital Ship “PEACE ARK” has travelled to 49 countries and regions, to engage in international disaster relief and humanitarian assistance, delivering love and hope to the most needed and dangerous places.
Col Dou spelt out a future of the Chinese Military continuing to promote steady, long-term and in-depth relations with GAF, to address regional and global security challenges on the basis of mutual trust, benefit, and learning, stating that the PLA is ready to work with GAF, to maintain strategic communication and exchanges, and to strengthen coordination and cooperation.
“The Chinese Military will remain a staunch force in maintaining world peace” – President Xi Jinping, President of the PRC.
Dignitaries present at the event included Ghana’s Naval and Air Force Chiefs – Rear Admiral Godwin Bessing and Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Eric Agyen-Frempon, respectively; the Chief of Staff, GAF – AVM Joshua Mensah-Larkai; Director General, Defence Industries Department – Brigadier General Kweku Dankwa Hagan; Chief Staff Officer, Naval Headquarters – Commodore Ben Baba Abdul; and Flag Officer Commanding, Eastern Naval Command – Cdre Solomon Asiedu-Larbi.
By Kofi Ampeah-Woode
