In a warm and forward-looking conversation, Hon. Adams acknowledged China’s long-standing support to Ghana’s development journey, including investments in infrastructure, mining, agribusiness, and technology. He commended China’s cultural resilience and its global leadership in sports like table tennis, stating:

“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.

The Minister for Sports and Recreation, Hon. Kofi Iddie Adams, with H.E. Tong Defa, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Ghana

He briefed the Ambassador on Ghana’s current sports sector reforms under the guidance of H.E. John Dramani Mahama, particularly the school sports revival agenda, which places grassroots development at the heart of future elite performance.

The Minister expressed strong interest in exploring PPP partnerships with China to rehabilitate and construct multi-purpose sports courts, especially across schools and districts. He also proposed structured technical exchange programmes between Ghanaian and Chinese coaches, especially in table tennis, to accelerate athlete development.

The Minister for Sports and Recreation, Hon. Kofi Iddie Adams, with H.E. Tong Defa, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of China to Ghana and their team

Further areas discussed included:

• Capacity building opportunities for Ghanaian technical officers and directors
• Leveraging Chinese sports infrastructure models to reshape Ghana’s grassroots systems
• Ongoing training support through the ITTF-Ghana table tennis programme in China
• Opportunities under the Africa–China People-to-People Exchange Year in 2026

On his part, Ambassador H.E. Tong Defa emphasised China’s readiness to expand collaboration with Ghana, citing successful relationships in other sectors and reiterating the value of sport in diplomacy. He highlighted ongoing platforms such as the Confucius Institute, Cape Coast Stadium, and Chinese scholarship programmes as examples of mutually beneficial cooperation.

The Minister for Sports and Recreation, Hon. Kofi Iddie Adams, with H.E. Tong Defa, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Ghana

The two sides agreed to explore a structured bilateral framework that will guide future engagements in sport and recreation, focusing on youth development, infrastructure, and talent mobility.

Ghana continues to position itself as a trusted partner in Africa’s sport diplomacy drive and this meeting marks another step forward in building sustainable, people-centered partnerships.