By Elvis Muraranganda
China has pledged to deepen its partnership with Namibia by expanding cooperation in education, agriculture, healthcare, trade and investment following President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s recent state visit to China.
Beijing says it has already begun implementing agreements reached during the visit, with follow up engagements underway to translate the commitments into tangible benefits for both countries.
Chinese Ambassador to Namibia Zhao Weiping described the visit as a landmark in bilateral relations, saying discussions between Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Nandi-Ndaitwah had set a long term strategic direction for cooperation.
The two leaders agreed to elevate ties to a China Namibia community with a shared future for the new era.
The commitment follows the signing of a joint statement in Beijing in which both countries agreed to deepen political trust, expand economic cooperation and strengthen coordination on regional and international issues.
Weiping said the visit resulted in the signing of eight bilateral cooperation agreements covering education, agriculture, trade, economic development and people to people exchanges, while further strengthening political cooperation.
He said Namibia is set to benefit from increased Chinese development assistance aimed at supporting socio economic development projects and improving the wellbeing of its citizens.
China also committed to support Namibia’s industrialisation agenda, agricultural modernisation and implementation of the country’s Sixth National Development Plan and Vision 2030.
Youth development was identified as a key priority, with China committing to expand scholarships, technical support and professional training opportunities for Namibians.
Weiping announced that China’s Ministry of Commerce has awarded 87 scholarships to Namibian students this year to pursue master’s and doctoral degrees.
He added that a new agreement on technical and vocational education will strengthen collaboration between training institutions in both countries.
Trade and agriculture also featured prominently during the visit, with Namibia securing market access to export fresh table grapes and wild aquatic products to China.
Weiping said the development would open new opportunities for local producers and exporters.
He added that China’s decision to grant zero tariff treatment to African countries with diplomatic relations with Beijing would further boost African exports.
The two countries also agreed to pursue closer cooperation in customs, food safety, logistics and the development of the Port of Walvis Bay as a regional trade gateway.
The joint statement also identified oil and gas, green energy, renewable technologies, mining, battery value chains, critical minerals, digital transformation, artificial intelligence, telecommunications and tourism as priority areas for future cooperation.
Both countries further agreed to promote local value addition, technology transfer and skills development in Namibia’s mining sector.
Healthcare cooperation will also be expanded through medical personnel training, disease prevention initiatives and continued support
from Chinese medical teams.
The two countries also agreed to explore pharmaceutical production in Namibia while China pledged continued support for strengthening the country’s healthcare system.
Reflecting on the visit, Weiping commended President Nandi-Ndaitwah’s efforts to promote Namibia as an investment destination, noting that she was accompanied by about 200 business representatives, the largest Namibian business delegation ever to visit China.
He said business engagements in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and other provinces generated significant interest among Chinese investors.
“President Ndaitwah has indeed used almost every single minute available for meeting with the business-people,” Weiping said.
He added that several Chinese companies that met the President are expected to visit Namibia in the coming months to explore investment opportunities.
The ambassador also revealed that provincial delegations from Guangdong and Sichuan are planning visits to Namibia later this year, bringing government officials, agricultural experts and business representatives to advance agreements reached during the state visit.
Weiping said implementation of the agreements is already underway through consultations with relevant Namibian ministries and expressed confidence that the outcomes of the visit would strengthen economic cooperation and deliver lasting benefits for both countries.
Beyond economic cooperation, the two countries also reaffirmed their commitment to multilateralism, Southouth cooperation and closer collaboration within the Forum on China Africa Cooperation, while supporting reforms to global governance institutions that would strengthen the representation of developing countries, particularly Africa, in international decision making.
