To get rich, build roads first – Chinese Ambassador tells African leaders to prioritize infrastructure
The Chinese Ambassador to Ghana, H.E. Tong Defa has emphasized to African leaders the critical role of infrastructure in national development.
According to him, economic prosperity is closely tied to investments in roads, railways, and ports.
He made the call while speaking as a panelist on the topic “The Role of Africa’s Infrastructural Development Partners in Building the Single Market” during the Africa Prosperity Dialogues 2024 (APD Day 2) at the Accra International Conference Centre on Friday, January 31, 2025.
The Ambassador shared insights from China’s own development experience, stressing that Africa stands to benefit significantly from prioritizing infrastructure expansion.
He noted that China was marking the 12th anniversary of its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), a global development strategy that has seen the Asian powerhouse invest billions of dollars in infrastructure projects across Africa.
He reflected on China’s economic transformation over the past four decades, reiterating a popular Chinese saying: “To get rich, build roads first.”
“Since China’s reform and opening-up policy in 1978, infrastructure development has played a critical role in our rapid economic growth. Today, China boasts the world’s longest highway and high-speed rail network, as well as seven of the ten largest ports globally,” he stated.
According to him, “This is why China has earned the nickname ‘infrastructure maniac’ among its citizens.”
He added that there was a strong consensus in China that infrastructure serves as a fundamental pillar of development.
Source: www.ghanaweb.com
