China, Namibia upgrade ties, pledge to boost exchanges

China and Namibia elevated bilateral relations to a China-Namibia community with a shared future for the new era on Friday, as President Xi Jinping held talks in Beijing with visiting Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.

The two leaders witnessed the signing of multiple cooperation documents covering the economy, trade, medical services, public healthcare, education and human resources. The two sides also issued a joint statement on advancing the newly upgraded relationship.

Nandi-Ndaitwah is on a seven-day state visit to China, which concludes on Saturday. This is her first trip to the country since taking office in March 2025. Beijing is her third stop, following visits to Guangdong and Sichuan provinces.

Xi said the time is ripe and the prospects are promising for deepening friendship and cooperation between the two countries, as China advances modernization and national rejuvenation while Namibia works toward its Vision 2030 development goals.

China is ready to strengthen exchanges with Namibia on development philosophies, better align their development strategies and work alongside the southern African country as both nations pursue modernization, he said.

Xi called for closer high-level exchanges, deeper sharing of governance experience and regular communication on overall and strategic issues concerning bilateral relations. The two sides should continue to support each other on issues involving their respective core interests and major concerns, he added.

On economic ties, Xi urged the two countries to further tap their cooperation potential and raise bilateral cooperation to a higher level.

He said that China has implemented zero-tariff treatment for all products from the 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic relations, describing the measure as a major step in expanding China's high-standard opening-up and timely support for Africa's development.

Xi expressed hope that Namibia would make full use of the zero-tariff treatment, the upgraded "green channel" for Namibian exports to China, and other preferential policies, enabling more high-quality Namibian products to enter the Chinese market quickly.

China also stands ready to deepen cooperation with Namibia in infrastructure, energy, mining, agriculture, education, youth affairs, and science and technology, he said.

Xi said that helping African countries develop their abundant mineral resources and turn resource advantages into drivers of growth was an important way to accelerate Africa's modernization.

China is willing to expand mining cooperation with Namibia and other African countries on the basis of mutual benefit, friendly consultation and an enterprising spirit, he added.

Xi also called for stronger coordination between the two countries as important members of the Global South. China and Namibia share broad common interests and similar values, and should strengthen solidarity and coordination, firmly support each other and jointly uphold international fairness and justice, he said.

Nandi-Ndaitwah said that Namibia attaches great importance to its relations with China and is willing to learn from China's development experience, consolidate mutual trust and expand cooperation.

She welcomed more Chinese companies to invest and do business in Namibia and called for closer cooperation in industry, mining, infrastructure, aviation, aerospace technology, agriculture and water resources.

According to the Chinese Foreign Ministry, the value of bilateral trade reached $1.85 billion in 2025, up 35.72 percent year-on-year.

A post on the Namibian president's social media account quoted Nandi-Ndaitwah as saying at a media conference during her visit that the rapid growth in bilateral trade reflected the expanding economic partnership between the two countries.

Reflecting on China's development journey, she said the nation's experience offered valuable lessons for Namibia, particularly on the importance of long-term planning, policy consistency, and investment in infrastructure and human capital.

Calling for stronger collaboration between the two countries, she said the next chapter of Namibia-China relations should be characterized by deeper economic cooperation, industrialization, technological advancement, youth empowerment and greater people-to-people exchanges.