The perfect combination of traditional friendship

The history and current status of China-Namibia relations are based on profound traditional friendship, common interests and remarkable achievements. There is unlimited potential for future development, which makes us full of expectations for the future.

by Zhao Weiping

How should we describe China-Namibia relations? As the Chinese Ambassador to Namibia, I am often asked this question. This question is particularly important in view of the upcoming 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit in the Chinese capital, Beijing. The answer is that China-Namibia relations are characterized by traditional friendship, common interests and development potential.

The friendship between China and Namibia was established before the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1990. In the 1960s, China fully supported the national independence struggle of Namibia led by the South West Africa People’s Organization Party, and the South West Africa People’s Organization Party also became a close friend of the Communist Party of China. Namibian leaders mention the history with China almost every year on important occasions such as the celebration of Namibia’s Independence Day and Heroes Day. Many Namibians affectionately call their Chinese friends “comrades.”

China-Namibia relations have been smooth, friendly and fruitful over the past 34 years, fully demonstrating the mutual support and assistance between the two sincere friends. Namibia has always firmly adhered to the one-China principle and has always stood with China on issues concerning China’s core interests. China has also always been in the spirit of South-South cooperation and in accordance with the “sincerity, affinity and good faith” policy towards Africa proposed by President Xi Jinping, and has continuously developed diplomatic relations with Namibia.

Successive leaders of the two countries have provided strategic guidance for the development of bilateral relations through frequent mutual visits and meetings on international occasions. In 2018, President Xi Jinping and former Namibian President Hage Geingob established a China-Namibia comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation, and the two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative, opening a new chapter in China-Namibia relations.

There are many wonderful stories of mutually beneficial cooperation between the two countries. China has long been Namibia’s second largest trading partner and an important source of foreign investment. Last year, bilateral trade volume exceeded US$1.3 billion, and China’s foreign direct investment in Namibia accounted for about 30%.

China’s largest single investment project in Africa, the Husab uranium project, and the two iconic mining projects, the Rossing uranium project, have contributed about 7% of Namibia’s GDP, created 6,000 high-paying jobs locally, and provided a stable supply of uranium resources for China’s nuclear power industry.

As the largest developing country in the world, China has always been keen to help Namibia’s social and economic development, bringing tangible benefits to the Namibian people.

Various grant aid projects provided by the Chinese government have contributed to Namibia’s fight against drought and upgrading of infrastructure in the fields of education, medical care, agriculture, public transportation, youth training, scientific research, government buildings, etc.

Every year, dozens of Namibian students receive Chinese government scholarships to study in China, and more than 300 Namibians go to China to participate in various types of training.

China was the first country to provide vaccine assistance to Namibia during the COVID-19 pandemic. Since 1996, China has sent 15 medical teams to Namibia, providing traditional Chinese medicine treatment to about 10,000 Namibians each year.

Namibian youth have shown great interest in learning Chinese. There are about 7,000 students taking Chinese courses at the Confucius Institute at the University of Namibia, and the demand is still growing.

When the Chinese people celebrate the brilliant achievements of the Shenzhou spacecraft, they will not forget the contribution made by the space tracking and control station built by China in Namibia, which is the first space tracking and control station built with Chinese assistance in the southern hemisphere.

The history and current status of China-Namibia relations are based on profound traditional friendship, common interests and remarkable achievements. There is unlimited potential for future development, which makes us full of expectations for the future.

Namibia has a population of only 3 million, but its land area ranks 34th in the world. It has long-term political stability, a sound legal system, and a firm determination to develop. Namibia is rich in mineral resources and has increased its exploration efforts in recent years, and is expected to become the fourth largest oil producer in Africa.

At present, China is promoting modernization and Namibia is willing to accelerate the process of industrialization. The two countries will pay more attention to the strategic connection between China’s “Belt and Road” initiative and Namibia’s “Vision 2030” and “Harambee Prosperity Plan”, creating huge opportunities for deepening practical cooperation between the two countries.

The upcoming China-Africa Cooperation Forum Summit will lay out a grand blueprint for the future development of China-Africa relations, and China-Namibia relations play a vital role in it. Namibian President Mbemba’s visit to China to attend the China-Africa Cooperation Forum Summit and hold a meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister is another milestone in the development of China-Namibia relations.

At this historic moment, we should prepare for greater development of China-Namibia relations in the coming years. In the future, China will increase its investment in Namibia’s economic development, including energy, mining cooperation, agriculture and other fields. In addition, we look forward to further development of bilateral trade and more Chinese tourists visiting this beautiful “land of the brave”.

I believe that through the joint efforts of both sides, China-Namibia relations will usher in a new era and make more outstanding contributions to building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future.

Editor’s note: Zhao Weiping is China’s ambassador to Namibia.

The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone and do not necessarily reflect the position of Xinhua News Agency.