China and Namibia pledge deeper economic, diplomatic and people-to-people cooperation as bilateral ties enter a new era, with infrastructure, energy, mining, agriculture, education and technology identified as key areas for collaboration.
China and Namibia are improving their cooperation in economic, diplomatic and people-to-people fields following the promotion of their relationship to a China-Namibia community of a shared future in the new era. The new relationship framework is meant to offer wider room for cooperation and help Namibia achieve economic development.
Both the nations are attaching more importance to economic engagement, with a focus on infrastructure development, energy production, mining, agriculture, education, youth development, and science and technology being some of the areas of collaboration. China also seeks increased utilisation of preferential trade policy by Namibia in the form of tariff-free entry and improved fast-track arrangements for its exports to the Chinese market.
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Mining and critical minerals have specific importance in the increasingly important relationship. Namibia has resources through which China can cooperate with Namibia in developing minerals and industry. China will assist Namibia through technology in value chain development and infrastructure development. The larger scope of the relationship is an indication of China’s increased interest in developing such relationships in Africa.
It is also an aspect that goes beyond trade and investments. China and Namibia are making efforts to increase educational exchanges and collaborations between universities, technical training, and capacity building. While China has committed to increasing scholarships and training for Namibians, there is an effort to increase youth and educational institution interactions.
Nevertheless, infrastructure and energy continue to be relevant elements of cooperation as Namibia continues efforts to diversify its economy and develop its productive capacity. Greater cooperation in these areas will certainly help to attract investments and promote connectivity and industrialisation.
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This new arrangement is based on the discussion held between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, who visited China in July. The two presidents have decided to extend their cooperation and lay a strong foundation for bilateral relations.
The recent trends place the bilateral relationship between China and Namibia in a wider context of economic collaboration. The relationship enables Namibia to attract investment and build its competencies, whereas China benefits from a more solid ground for cooperation in Namibia's natural resource-based economy of Namibia.