Chinese nationals in Ashanti celebrate Chinese New Year

Chinese nationals in businesses in the Ashanti Region have commemorated the 2017 Chinese New Year with a festival of Chinese culture. The festival took place in two places, Anwiankwanta and Obuasi in the Bekwai and Obuasi municipalities respectively. The occasions were marked with Chinese cultural drumming and dancing.

On both occasions, the Chinese renewed bonds of friendship with Ghana and pledged to strengthen their business linkages in the country.

In an interview with the media, a member of the GuangXi Chamber of Commerce, Ms Monica Wei, said the Chinese New Year was celebrated in accordance with the Lunar Calendar in Chinese historical settings.

She said the occasion, which symbolises “great power, dignity and auspiciousness”, was celebrated by Chinese everywhere in the world.

According to her, the festival also stood for “fertility, wisdom and authority”.

Relationship

Ms Wei said many of the Chinese in Ghana, and in particular the Ashanti Region, were into mining, road construction, restaurant business and hotel management.

“Even though we are seen as a threat to Ghanaian businesses, we have lived according to the rules and have been good foreigners,” she said.

She called on the government and the nationals to continue to maintain cordial relations with Chinese nationals in the country because they brought in good investment and generated opportunities for employment.

The Director of Shengfa, a Chinese business firm in Obuasi, Peter Chen, lauded Ghana for being a peaceful country and accommodating to all foreigners, including the Chinese.

He called on his fellow Chinese in the country to be law-abiding in order that the currently existing friendly relationship with the people of Ghana would blossom further and impact positively on their businesses.