Chinese doctors deepen Sino-Namibian ties

In the heart of Namibia, a weathered medical record speaks volumes about an enduring partnership. Li Bangwei, leader of China's 15th medical team to Namibia and a practitioner of traditional Chinese medicine, recalls a patient presenting to him a well-preserved, yellowed booklet — a medical record from nearly 30 years ago — when the patient first received treatment from a Chinese doctor.

"For us, a single acupuncture needle is not just a tool for healing; it is a bridge of friendship," Li said.

Since 1996, China has been sending medical teams to Namibia, each comprising two doctors and two nurses. Stationed at Katutura State Hospital in Windhoek, the Namibian capital, they specialize in acupuncture and massage therapy, sharing their expertise and the healing power of traditional Chinese medicine.

Li and his team arrived in the African nation in February 2023. They offered treatment to over 19,000 patients and training to nearly 60 local medical students before returning to China in September 2024.

Bernard Haufiku, Namibia's former minister of health and social services, personally experienced the benefits of TCM when he received treatment for a back injury. After the treatment, he recorded a video expressing his gratitude and encouraging Namibian medical students to pursue studies in China.

China and Namibia will celebrate the 35th anniversary of their diplomatic relations on Saturday. The ongoing healthcare program epitomizes the extensive cooperation between the two countries in their shared efforts to build up partnerships across various sectors and forge ahead toward modernization, said top envoys and industry insiders.

"China has stood by us all the way," said Elia George Kaiyamo, Namibia's ambassador to China, highlighting the deepening bond, particularly since the establishment of a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in 2018.

China has been Namibia's second-largest trading partner and export destination, with the bilateral trade volume reaching $1.4 billion in the first nine months of 2024, a year-on-year growth of 35 percent, according to statistics from the Chinese embassy in Windhoek.

As a participant in the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative, the African country has witnessed transformative infrastructure projects, including the expansion of the Walvis Bay Harbor and airport upgrades. Kaiyamo emphasized that these projects have significantly enhanced Namibia's connectivity and accessibility over the past three decades.

Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to Africa in January, with Namibia as his first stop, reaffirmed China's commitment to supporting the country's economic development, helping transform its resource advantages into economic strengths and advancing modernization together.

Namibia's first female president-elect, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, is scheduled to be sworn in on Friday. Peng Qinghua, vice-chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, China's top legislature, will attend the inauguration ceremony as the special envoy of President Xi Jinping.

Zhao Weiping, China's ambassador to Namibia, said in an interview with China Daily that "the Chinese side has consistently attached great importance to developing China-Namibia relations, and has actively promoted friendly exchanges and practical cooperation in a wide range of fields".

He said the next five years will be a window for the rapid social and economic development in Namibia, and it will also be "an important time with new opportunities for China-Namibia trade and economic cooperation".

Chinese enterprises have continuously invested in lithium and gold mines, copper smelting and wind power generation in Namibia, expanding cooperation in the mineral energy sector. China's investments in Namibia's Husab and Rossing uranium mining projects have created 6,000 high-paying jobs, according to Zhao.

Namibia has further embraced collaboration with China in aerospace research, hosting a space tracking, telemetry and command station in Swakopmund — the first of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere.

With Namibia expected to commence oil and gas production around 2030 and potentially become Africa's fifth-largest oil producer, Zhao said there are promising opportunities for bilateral cooperation in this sector as well.

"We believe that the two countries will further explore cooperative potential in the energy and mineral fields, achieving complementary advantages and mutual benefits," he added.

Beyond industry and infrastructure, China's engagement in Namibia extends to agriculture and education, ensuring that cooperation reaches people at all levels.

Johanna Kudumo, a Namibian farmer from the Kavango East region, participated in a four-day training on sustainable horticulture under a South-South Cooperation project between China and Namibia in February. She praised the hands-on approach of the program.

"I have been farming for years, but this training has taught me new ways to improve my yields. Learning about pest control and compost making was particularly valuable. I feel more confident in applying these techniques in my farm," Kudumo said.

Another priority for bilateral cooperation is enhancing educational infrastructure. Official statistics show that more than 4,000 new classrooms need to be built in Namibia to meet the demand for primary, secondary and high schools, and China has so far helped establish eight schools in the African country.

"In the future, we will continue to closely follow the development needs of Namibia and carry out more high-quality projects benefiting local people," Zhao said.

Meanwhile, analysts have noted that the cooperation between the two nations could set an example for enhanced collaboration between China and Africa.

Zhou Yuyuan, deputy director of the Center for West Asian and African Studies at the Shanghai Institutes for International Studies, emphasized that China tailors its cooperation with African countries based on their actual needs and development goals, which he said is a key advantage of China-Africa collaboration.

Kaiyamo, the Namibian envoy, commended the 10 partnership action plans unveiled by President Xi for advancing Africa's modernization during the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation held in Beijing in September.

"FOCAC has grown from strength to strength," Kaiyamo said, highlighting China's role in knowledge-sharing and its steadfast support for Africa's development.

"We (China and Africa) are now on the same page. We all need good water in Africa. We all need connections. We need to educate our people. We need the extension of our products," he said, adding that China's action plans address these fundamental needs, making them essential for Namibia and Africa.