Namibian President-elect Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah met with Wang Yi, Chinese Foreign Minister and member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, in Windhoek. Wang conveyed congratulations from President Xi Jinping to Nandi-Ndaitwah on her historic election as Namibia’s first female president.
Emphasising the long-standing tradition of Chinese foreign ministers visiting Africa for their first overseas trip each year, Wang highlighted the symbolic importance of this meeting, coinciding with the 35th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Namibia and China.
Wang reiterated China’s commitment to strengthening ties with Namibia through the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership established in 2018. He expressed China’s willingness to align efforts with Namibia to implement outcomes from the 2023 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit, which outlined 10 partnership action plans to advance modernization. Key areas of collaboration include economic transformation, leveraging Namibia’s resource advantages, and promoting shared governance experiences to deepen political trust and enhance bilateral relations.
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President-elect Nandi-Ndaitwah expressed gratitude for President Xi Jinping’s congratulatory message and welcomed Wang as the first foreign minister she has engaged with since her election. She underscored the importance of Namibia’s sister-party relationship with the CPC and expressed appreciation for the CPC’s observation of Namibia’s election. Nandi-Ndaitwah reaffirmed Namibia’s commitment to the one-China principle and her readiness to work closely with China to implement FOCAC initiatives. She identified trade, education, agriculture, infrastructure, and energy resources as priority areas for bilateral cooperation to advance Namibia’s economic and social development.
Looking ahead, both leaders emphasised the significance of multilateral cooperation, particularly in the lead-up to the 80th anniversary of the United Nations in 2025. They committed to enhancing strategic coordination to uphold international fairness, justice, and the shared interests of Africa and developing countries.
This meeting reaffirmed the strong partnership between Namibia and China, laying the groundwork for further collaboration in the years to come.
