The Minister for Sports and Recreation, Kofi Adams, says Ghana is ready to draw valuable lessons from China’s sports development model as the country pursues major reforms in grassroots and elite sports.
He made the remark when he hosted the Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Tong Defa, on Friday, 12 December 2025. The meeting focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in sports infrastructure, talent development, and technical exchanges.
Adams expressed appreciation for China’s long-standing contributions to Ghana’s development across multiple sectors, including infrastructure, agriculture, mining, and technology. He commended China’s discipline and consistency in nurturing global excellence in sports such as table tennis, noting:
“I have been to China a number of times and what strikes me is how you’ve protected your traditional values while driving innovation. We admire your model and believe Ghana can learn a lot from it.”
He briefed the Ambassador on Ghana’s ongoing sports reforms championed by President John Mahama, particularly the national agenda to revive school sports as the foundation for future elite performance.
According to him, the country’s renewed focus on youth development requires strong partnerships with nations that have successfully built sustainable sports systems.
The Minister also expressed interest in exploring public–private partnership arrangements with Chinese entities for the rehabilitation and construction of multi-purpose sports courts across districts and educational institutions.
He emphasised the need for structured technical exchange programmes between Ghanaian and Chinese coaches, particularly in table tennis, to boost athlete development.
Other areas of discussion included capacity-building opportunities for Ghanaian technical officers, adoption of Chinese grassroots sports infrastructure models, continued support under the ITTF–Ghana table tennis training programme in China, and opportunities within the upcoming Africa–China People-to-People Exchange Year in 2026.
Ambassador Tong Defa reaffirmed China’s commitment to deepening sports cooperation with Ghana, referencing ongoing collaborations such as the Confucius Institute, the Cape Coast Stadium, and scholarship initiatives that have strengthened cultural and educational ties.
He stressed that sports diplomacy remains an important pillar of China–Ghana relations.
Both sides agreed to work toward a more structured bilateral framework to guide future engagements centred on youth development, infrastructure improvement, and talent mobility.
Ghana continues to reinforce its reputation as a collaborative and forward-looking partner in Africa’s evolving sports diplomacy landscape, with this latest engagement marking another meaningful step towards building inclusive and sustainable sports systems.
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