The event hosted by Qingdao Cross-border E-commerce Comprehensive Experimental Zone Service Center, Qingdao Cross-border E-commerce Association included a factory visit to major companies in Qingdao.

More than 20 representatives from Ghana and over 100 from the Chinese side participated in the conference and matchmaking meeting. 

The Executive Leaders and guests who participated in the event from both sides were Mr. Wang Dakun, Director of Qingdao Cross-border E-Commerce Comprehensive Experimental Zone Service Center, Dr. Yaw Adu Gyamfi, President of AGI, Dr. James Asare Adjei, immediate past President of AGI, Mr. Humphrey Ayim-Darke, Vice President of AGI in charge of SMEs, Mr. Zheng Zhengqi, President, Mr. Teng Zhanjiang, Executive Chairman, Shi Ligang, Executive Vice President, and Miss Su Jing, Secretary-General, all of Qingdao Cross-border E-Commerce Association, as well as Liu Xiao Meng, General Manager of Qingdao Haichuang Asset Management Co. Ltd.

Director Mr Wang, while opening the conference, said China and Africa had always been important trade partners of each other.

He said the China-Africa Cooperation Forum had pushed trade between the two sides to a new level, to the highest peak. 

"With this important conference and matchmaking meeting, we hope that Qingdao enterprises will scan the plethora of behomoth opportunities to enter Africa and my friends coming all the way from Ghana will also explore the industrial environment of Qingdao to tap into the connections.

"I take this opportunity to admonish Qingdao Cross-border E-commerce Association to continue to play the role of bridges and ties to contribute to economic development of Qingdao and the rest of the world."

Yan Zhengqi, president of the Qingdao Cross-border E-Commerce Association, said China’s financing, investment and engineering contracting projects in Ghana were incomparable. 

He said the current oil and natural gas in Ghana, the complementing infrastructure and more importantly, the telecommunication system, which is the backbone for a communication network, had made important contributions to the Ghanaian economy. 

"Under the framework of the 'One Belt, One Road' initiative, China and Africa have accelerated all-round cooperation and written a wonderful story of the cooperation between the Chinese and African people. "Our relationship with the Association of Ghana Industries has just begun and has started on a good note of what we have just seen, and we believe our cooperation will flourish and succeed."

Dr. Adu Gyamfi took the stage to, first, thanked the Qingdao Cross-border E-Commerce Test Service Center and the Qingdao Cross-border E-Commerce Association for their hospitality and their support for the programme. He continued that Qingdao had been a great partner to Ghana and that the biggest Chinese construction firm in Ghana is from Qingdao.

He said Ghana is a land of massive untapped opportunities.

"We have come to a crossroad, where opportunities surround the continent but lacks the technology and the industrial acumen to turn these opportunities around..."
He said on the other hand, China had matured economically, industrially and technologically in development and looking for a market to explore. "It is for this reason that I think the two countries can connect to create wealth for mutual benefit."

He said Ghana is positioned within the West African sub-region and has political stability, good and friendly business environment, accelerated economic growth and peace and "so by setting up, you are reaching 350 million population. Let's explore and take advantage of Africa's richness"

Later on, a matchmaking meeting was conducted and Dr. Adu Gyamfi presented gifts to the Qingdao Cross-border E-Commerce Association, a gesture which opened the afternoon chapter on a friendly note.