BEIJING — State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi talked with Ghanaian Foreign Minister Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey over phone on April 19, with both sides calling for building a closer relationship.

Noting that China attaches great importance to the traditional friendship with Ghana, Wang said bilateral relations have been consolidated and developed under the guidance of the two countries' heads of state.

In particular, since the outbreak of COVID-19, China and Ghana have supported each other to overcome difficulties, and their friendship has been further enhanced, Wang said.

China highly appreciates Ghana's adherence to the one-China principle and believes that both sides will continue to deepen political mutual trust and jointly preserve the China-Ghana friendly cooperation, Wang said.

Noting that the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation is a leading mechanism for the win-win cooperation between China and Africa, Wang said China and Ghana should synergize their cooperation with the nine programs for cooperation between China and Africa in order to deliver outcomes of the forum.

China will always be a trustworthy partner in the development and revitalization of Ghana and Africa, Wang said.

Wang said that China congratulates Ghana on its appointment as a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council from 2022 to 2023 and is glad to see Ghana play a more active role in international and regional affairs.

China has set up the Group of Friends of the Global Development Initiative under the UN framework to support the economic recovery of developing countries after the COVID-19 pandemic, Wang said, adding that Ghana is welcome to join the group, so as to pool greater strength for accelerating the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

China's vote in the United Nations will always belong to developing countries and African brothers, Wang said, calling for more coordination to jointly uphold international fairness and justice, oppose hegemonism and power politics, and safeguard the overall interests of the two countries and other developing countries.

For her part, Botchwey said Ghana cherishes the friendship with China and firmly pursues the one-China policy.

Ghana admires China's development achievements and President Xi Jinping's outstanding leadership, she said, adding that China's development has provided very useful inspiration to African countries.

Especially after the outbreak of the pandemic, African countries have come to realize that the world is not fair and its development is not balanced, and China is Africa's true and reliable friend, Botchwey said.

Ghana appreciates China's strong support for Ghana's economic and social development and looks forward to continuously carrying out practical cooperation under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, she said.

As a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council and the rotating chair of the Economic Community of West African States, Ghana is ready to strengthen communication and coordination with China on international and regional issues, so as to implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and build a fairer and more just world, Botchwey said.