A joint working group from China has held talks with Ghanaian Interior Minister William Kwasi Aboah, and called on officials from the country to stop arresting Chinese nationals working near gold mines in the country, and to deal with the robberies that have been targeting Chinese workers.

The working group consisted of officials from the Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Public Security.

It arrived in Ghana on Tuesday and expressed the Chinese government's concern over the issue of illegal gold mining in the country.

The group stressed that Ghana should provide safety guarantees as well as transportation for Chinese workers having to return home, as well as protect the property of Chinese citizens and companies working in Ghana, such as their production equipment.

The group also pointed out that Ghanaians who sign illegal gold mining contracts with foreigners should be punished to help eliminate such activities in the future.

Aboah said that China and Ghana have a long history of friendship.

"Chinese companies and citizens have made tremendous contributions to Ghana, and the country welcomes and encourages more Chinese citizens to come here and invest."

A working group from the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region also arrived in Ghana on Tuesday, and will cooperate with the joint group to provide assistance to Chinese citizens returning to China.

China Daily

(China Daily 06/14/2013 page10)