Chinese Mission Backs Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy with Push for Local Manufacturing Investment

In a significant show of alignment with Ghana’s development agenda, the Chinese Mission in Ghana has expressed strong support for the country’s newly launched 24-Hour Economy policy, encouraging Chinese enterprises and investors to establish manufacturing bases in Ghana.

This affirmation was made during an interactive session held on Saturday, August 2, 2025, between the Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Ghana, H.E. TONG Defa, and media fellows participating in the ongoing Ghana-China Media Fellowship 2025. The engagement formed part of a broader discussion on economic cooperation, industrial transformation, and sustainable development under the Ghana-China partnership.

Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy initiative, introduced by the Government of Ghana earlier this year, aims to maximize productivity, create jobs, and boost export capacity by promoting continuous business operations, particularly in key sectors like manufacturing, logistics, energy, and services. The ambassador’s support signaled China’s readiness to partner in realizing this vision by facilitating industrial investment and technology transfer.

The encouragement of Chinese enterprises to localize manufacturing aligns with broader China-Africa cooperation priorities under frameworks like FOCAC (Forum on China-Africa Cooperation) and the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). It also reflects China’s evolving approach to economic engagement—shifting from infrastructure delivery toward industrialization, value addition, and job creation in host countries.

China is already one of Ghana’s top trade and investment partners. The call for more Chinese manufacturing ventures within Ghana signals potential for deeper economic integration and support for Ghana’s industrial policy objectives.

The Ghana-China Media Fellowship, spearheaded by the Africa-China Centre for Policy and Advisory (ACCPA), seeks to deepen media understanding of Ghana-China relations. The ambassador’s visit offered fellows direct insight into how diplomacy and enterprise are jointly shaping bilateral development priorities.

As Ghana seeks to reposition itself as a competitive manufacturing and export hub in West Africa, stronger collaboration with established partners like China could prove pivotal in unlocking the full potential of the 24-hour economy.