The Chinese General Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Namibia hosted a celebration to mark the 2024 Chinese Spring Festival, welcoming the Year of the Dragon and expressing hopes for prosperity and good fortune in the coming year.
The event, held in Namibia, brought together Chinese and Namibian communities for a festive evening.
The Chinese Spring Festival is a holiday with many entertaining activities for people of all ages, such as performing dragon dances, grand fireworks displays, street festivals, crafts, parties, live music, and many other entertaining events.
China's ambassador to Namibia, Zhao Weiping, conveyed his expectations during the new year, expressing hope
for engaging in numerous activities and accomplishing significant achievements in Namibia.
"This year, we hope to improve our strength in cooperation, especially in the areas of agriculture and education. We hope very much that we could do more to contribute to your own affairs and improve your educational infrastructure. The four school projects we are currently working on are already finished, and we are handing them over to the Namibian people very soon."
According to the statistics provided by the Chinese, between January and September 2023, China-Namibia bilateral trade volume reached US$1 billion, an increase of 29% over 2022.
Additionally, Weiping noted ongoing efforts to address quarantine-related issues concerning the import of Namibia's agricultural and aquatic products into China.
He expressed optimism that these challenges would be resolved early this year.
Minister of Labour, Industrial Relations, and Employment Creation, Utoni Nujoma, emphasised Namibia's commitment to underscoring the significance of international trade as a catalyst for economic growth and development.
"China is hungry for raw materials, so we must strategize so that we maximise benefits. That's the strategy. China has assisted Namibia since independence with scholarships, meaning Namibian students were trained in China, but that is not enough. We have this cooperation they call FOCAC-China-Africa cooperation, and as you have seen now, they have the biggest investment in the mineral sector here in Namibia and the whole of Africa, and what we want the Chinese to do is impart this knowledge to Namibians."
He emphasised that the presence of the Chinese business community in Namibia serves as a testament to a relationship built upon a strong foundation of friendship and solidarity.