By Michael Dewornu
The Ghana-China Media Fellowship 2025 witnessed a landmark moment on Saturday, August 2, 2025, as H.E. TONG Defa, Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Ghana, paid a courtesy visit to the fellowship’s training center in Accra. The Ambassador ’s visit served as a major highlight of the ongoing 12-week media capacity-building program, organized by the Africa-China Centre for Policy and Advisory (ACCPA).
Welcoming the Ambassador, the Executive Director of ACCPA, Paul Frimpong, expressed his appreciation for the Ambassador’s presence and continued support.
“Your engagement today reflects a deep commitment to people-to-people diplomacy and your support for media empowerment is both timely and appreciated,” Mr. Frimpong noted.
“This fellowship was designed to build a more informed and balanced narrative on Ghana-China cooperation, and your presence gives it even greater credibility.” He added
In an interactive session, Ambassador TONG Defa engaged directly with the media fellows, sharing thoughtful insights on China’s path to modernization, the pillars of mutual respect in international cooperation, and the importance of professional integrity in journalism.
He stressed on the fact than in an era of misinformation, the role of the media is more important than ever. He encouraged them to seek facts, verify sources, and report with balance. This, according to him is the foundation of mutual understanding between Ghana and China.
“As journalists, you carry the responsibility of truth,” the ambassador stated.
The Ambassador also highlighted China’s transformation journey from poverty to modernization, emphasizing how stability, strategic reforms, and openness to international cooperation played key roles. He encouraged the fellows to be curious, research-driven, and committed to reporting that bridges cultures and promotes development.
Ambassador TONG stated that China’s modernization is not simply a domestic ambition, but a collaborative model that supports inclusive growth and global solidarity.
He underscored the significance of platforms like the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in aligning modernization goals across continents, noting that partnerships with Africa are increasingly built on mutual respect, shared prosperity, and sustainable development.
The presentation detailed the defining features of Chinese modernization, including modernization of a large population, common prosperity, harmony with nature, cultural advancement, and peaceful development. These principles, according to the Ambassador, are foundational for cooperation with Africa and offer pathways for countries like Ghana to chart their own context-specific development trajectories.
The Ambassador also touched on China’s commitment to people-centered development, innovation-led growth, and the acceleration of high-quality productivity, pointing to progress in sectors such as clean energy, digital infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing.
For the media fellows, the presentation served as a valuable lens through which to better understand the complexity and global scope of China’s development model. It further provided the context for reporting on China’s role in Africa not only as an investor or builder, but as a partner in transformation.
The Ghana-China Media Fellowship 2025 is a first-of-its-kind initiative that blends academic learning with field engagement to strengthen journalistic understanding of Africa-China dynamics.
The Ambassador’s session marked a major highlight of the fellowship and left participants inspired to explore the interconnectedness of local and global modernization efforts.
