WINDHOEK – Namibia is currently home to more than 40 competent Chinese companies, which altogether are managing about N$38 billion worth of investments (US$3.4 billion), and employing a total of 4 000 local people, the Chinese Ambassador to Namibia Xin Shunkang said during the celebration of the 65th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China last night [Thursday, October 02]. In addition to employing local people, the companies are also providing skills development, the ambassador said.
Further, the Agreement on Bilateral Economic and Technological Cooperation for this year, has China committing to give Namibia free aid of nearly N$18 billion (US$1.6 billion), the ambassador said of the China-Namibia economic and trade cooperation’s “remarkable progress”.
“With the concern and support of the leaders and the joint efforts of relevant authorities from both sides, the two governments have reached consensus on the issue of exporting Namibian beef to China. This marks that Namibia’s strategy of diversifying beef export markets has made a significant progress. I am sure that the top-quality Namibian beef will go on to Chinese tables before long,” said Shunkang. As part of the cooperation the Youth Training Center and Defense College donated by China have also been completed and will soon come into service, while a batch of medical equipment including three ambulances and four Digital Mobile X-Ray detectors valued at N$18 million (US$1.6 million) was donated to Omuthiya Hospital.
“Since the establishment of diplomatic ties 24 years ago, our bilateral relations have undertaken overall development. And our all-weather partnership has been continuously consolidated. We maintained frequent high-level exchanges, expanded economic and trade cooperation, reaped substantial fruits in the fields of education, health and culture, and enhanced coordination in international and regional affairs,” said Shunkang.
China has not been spared of the challenges of world economy recovery, but has endured to record a 7.4 percent increase in gross domestic product together with 9.7 million new jobs created and a low unemployment rate at 5 percent.
“At the same time, we forcefully crack down on corruption, by prosecuting a series of major cases abiding by state laws and party disciplines,” the ambassador said. The Chinese ambassador also said that Sino-Africa relations have been tested by the outbreak of Ebola, which prompted the Chinese government to send more than 170 Chinese medical workers to work side by side with the locals in the affected areas.
Immediately after the outbreak, the Chinese government dispatched medical supplies to Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea Bissau. Last August, China offered humanitarian materials worth US$4.9 million to Guinea, Liberia, Sierra Leone and two groups of mobile bio-safety laboratories to Sierra Leone. This month, President Xi Jinping announced that China will provide an additional US$32 million to relative countries and China will offer the WHO and the African Union each US$2 million in cash assistance. Responding to further needs of the affected areas, China will continue to provide additional assistance by sending high-level expert teams to share epidemic control experiences, working with the international community to train medical personnel and helping to set up treatment centres.
China will also give priority to boosting health cooperation under the framework of the FOCAC to help improve disease prevention and control systems of African countries.