Windhoek
Due to excellent bilateral ties between the two countries, Chinese investments in Namibia since independence in 1990 total US$4.6 billion (N$62.1 billion) and created over 6 000 jobs by 2014.
The long-term investment of US$5 billion (N$67.5 billion) in the Husab Uranium Mine in the Erongo Region could provide 2000 permanent jobs and make Namibia the second largest uranium producer and exporter in the world.
Chinese Ambassador to Namibia, Xin Shunkang, revealed the latest trade figures on Chinese investment in Namibia at a reception hosted on Thursday in Windhoek to mark the 66th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
He said the pragmatic diplomatic cooperation between Namibia and China has deepened over the past 25 years.
“The bilateral trade volumes in 2014 reached US$863 million (N$11.6 billion), 16.78 percent up from a year earlier,”
Xin told diplomats, government officials and other dignitaries gathered at the function.
Xin also referred to the fact that China has become the number one trading partner with various African countries, with Chinese investment on the continent reaching a record high of US$221.8 billion last year, an increase of five percent from 2013.
“More than 2500 Chinese companies are running businesses in Africa and created over 100 000 local jobs,” Xin stated.
“Other good news is that in August China signed the protocols to import Namibian beef with the visiting Namibian agricultural delegation. The door to exporting beef to China is open,” said Ambassador Xin.
He also alluded to the fact that China and Namibia are in talks to build a factory to locally produce vaccines for foot-and-mouth disease that periodically breaks out in Namibia.
“China is helping African countries speed up their industrialisation with the goal of common development and win-win cooperation,” said the Chinese ambassador.
He believes the current China-Africa cooperation is full of vitality and creates new opportunities for bilateral ties. He also said China’s gross domestic product per capita in 2014 reached US$7 500 (N$101 250) compared to US$100 (N$1 350) when the republic was founded some 66 years ago.
Last year alone China produced goods worth over US$10 trillion (about N$130 trillion). In a nutshell China became the world’s second largest economy, and the country with the world’s largest foreign reserves.
Former president Hifikepunye Pohamba and former first lady Penehupifo Pohamba, the Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation, Erkki Nghimtina, Inspector General of the Namibia Police Sebastian Ndeitunga and Russian Ambassador to Namibia Alexander Khudin were among the VIPs present.