BEIJING - China wishes to enhance cooperation with Ghana in key areas such as infrastructure construction, telecommunications and human resources, said Chinese President Hu Jintao here Friday when meeting with Ghanaian President John Kufuor.

Chinese President Hu Jintao (R) meets with Ghanaian President John Agyekum Kufuor at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, Nov. 3, 2006. [Xinhua]

Kufuor arrived here for the Beijing Summit of the Forum on the China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) slated for Nov. 4-5.

In recent years, the China-Ghana relations have witnessed smooth development, with frequent high-level exchanges and fruitful cooperation in economy, trade, culture, education and public health, said Hu.

It is very important for both countries to consolidate their relations, said he, hoping mutual political trust be enhanced and their cooperation follow the principles of mutual benefit and gradual growth.

The high quality of the road and other projects that the Chinese side helped construct in Ghana has received applause from the Ghanaian people, who wish to enhance cooperation with China intrade, investment, power development, information networks and road construction, so as to fulfill win-win and mutual benefit, said Kufuor.

Forty eight African countries that have diplomatic relations with China are to participate in the two-day summit focusing on "friendship, peace, cooperation and development". Since FOCAC was established in 2000, economic and trade cooperation between China and Africa has entered a new era, with comprehensive, rapid and stable development.

On Friday morning alone, Hu rolled out red carpet at the Great Hall of the People in central Beijing to welcome presidents of Congo, Uganda, Sierra Leone, Rwanda and Ghana. He is scheduled to meet with another five African presidents later Friday.