Namibia’s state visit to China a resounding success: Nandi-Ndaitwah

WINDHOEK, 05 APR – The six-day state visit to China by President Hage Geingob, Cabinet ministers, senior government officials and 70 businesspeople was a resounding success, according to deputy premier and international relations minister, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.
Speaking at a media briefing here on Thursday, Nandi-Ndaitwah said the visit will cement the existing cooperation between the two countries in the fields of agriculture, infrastructure, education and finance.
“It is a win-win between the two countries. It’s not a question of big and small, rich or poor,” she said.
Other areas of the “comprehensive, strategic, cooperative partnership” between China and Namibia include training, science, counter-terrorism, climate change, technology and tourism.
According to Nandi-Ndaitwah, the recent engagement between southern African and east Asian countries was founded on the ethos of mutual respect and equality.
Geingob briefed his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, on Namibia’s endeavour to position itself as a logistics hub in southern Africa, Nandi-Ndaitwah said.
“In this regard, the Chinese president reaffirmed China’s support to Namibia,” she said, before adding that improved mutually beneficial and financial cooperation was also discussed.
To realise this, Namibia will have to diversify and grow an export-oriented economy.
On the other end, China, as the second largest economy in the world, will have to provide a market for Namibian products, skills and technology.
“Namibia can benefit from deepened financial cooperation targeted towards industrialisation and improved productive capacity,” added Nandi-Ndaitwah.
In return, China can utilise Namibia’s strategic geographic location to access different world markets such as the Southern Africa Customs Union and Southern African Development Community – which Namibia is party to.
Additionally, Government has done its part in facilitating and opening doors for opportunities in China through the recent undertaking, according to Nandi-Ndaitwah.
“No doubt, China has a fast-growing economy and could become the largest economy in the world,” she said, adding that Namibia’s visit to China was not in isolation.
“The whole world, including the developed countries are looking at China for business,” she stressed.
Additionally, Geingob, on invitation of Xi, will attend the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit in September in Beijing.
Meanwhile, Geingob also extended an invitation to Xi to visit Namibia at a date to be agreed on.
Nandi-Ndaitwah further emphasised that no loan agreements have been entered into by the two countries.

NAMPA