By Catherine Sasman
WINDHOEK
Chinese Ambassador to Namibia, Liang Yinzhu, last week announced his impending departure from the country in early October, at the occasion of the 58th anniversary celebration of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
Addressing a huge gathering of high-level government officials, diplomats and Chinese nationals in Namibia, Yinzhu praised the two countries’ close ties that have developed over the last four years.
“China got the valuable support of Namibia on many international issues. In particular, on the Taiwan question which concerns China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, Namibia has continued to uphold its One-China policy, supported China’s great cause of national reunification and opposed any activity aimed at seceding China. Facts have shown that Namibia is one of the most reliable friends of China in Africa,” said Yinzhu.
Around 20 agreements were signed between China and Namibia over the last four years.
Last year, the trade volume between the two countries reached US$250 million, more than three times the US$74 million of 2003.
Two regional council buildings have been constructed from Chinese grants, and construction of the presidential residence in the new State House complex will commence soon.
Chinese nationals further work on the military academy, the Youth Training Centre and two rural schools.
The two countries are conducting consultations on how to use concessional loans and preferential export credit pledged during Chinese President Hu Jintao’s visit to Namibia earlier this year.
Talks of cooperation in agriculture and aquaculture are also under discussion.
Speaking on behalf of Foreign Minister Marcu Hausiku, Minister of Information and Broadcasting, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, said four bilateral agreements between the two countries would soon bear fruit in technical and economic cooperation, and tourism.
At the Beijing Summit in November last year, President Jintao pledged that China would double its aid to Africa by 2009.
“Our challenge to achieve economic independence could greatly be supported by the outcome of the Summit, which focused on business and commercial links,” said Nandi-Ndaitwah.
She said Namibia supports the ‘One-China’ policy, adding that Namibia opposes the establishment of a so-called Taiwan-Africa forum.
The Chinese economy continues to grow at a blistering pace, and since its adoption of reform nearly 30 years ago, it has developed from a semi-feudal, semi-colonial poor country into a socialist country showing initial signs of prosperity, said Ambassador Yinzhu.
The country’s overall economic aggregate grew up to the fourth biggest in the world in 2006 from the sixth in 2003. Its per capita GDP increased from more than US$1000 to more than US$2000.
The 17th National Congress of the Communist Party of China will be held in the middle of October and it is expected that the event will have far-reaching influence on that country’s economic and social development.