China, Namibia agree to establish comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation

Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) holds a welcome ceremony for his Namibian counterpart Hage Geingob before their talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, capital of China, March 29, 2018. (Xinhua/Rao Aimin)

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Namibian counterpart Hage Geingob agreed Thursday to establish a comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation between the two countries.

The two heads of state reached the consensus during their talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing.

Geingob is on a state visit to China from March 28 to April 3 at the invitation of Xi.

Hailing the profound friendship between the two countries, Xi said China and Namibia stood side by side in their struggles against imperialism and colonialism in the past, and supported each other in their nation building.

As the two countries' development has entered a new stage, their development strategies and economic cooperation are mutually complementary, and they shared similar governance philosophy, Xi said.

As an "all-weather friend of Namibia," China is ready to work with the African nation to boost stable growth of ties in order to benefit the two peoples, Xi said.

He called on both sides to start from the new point of forging comprehensive strategic partnership of cooperation, to enhance high-level exchanges and cooperation among various levels, cement political mutual trust, and support each other on issues regarding their core interests and major concerns.

Xi proposed to focus on priority areas and key projects, and further tap potential to boost bilateral win-win cooperation.

"China welcomes Namibia to participate in the Belt and Road Initiative, and hopes to strengthen policy coordination and synergy of development plans, and facilitate cooperation in key areas," he said.

"China is willing to enhance cooperation with Namibia in wildlife protection," Xi said, pledging zero tolerance to illegal activities such as trafficking of wildlife products.

The Chinese president also called for enhanced coordination between the two countries in global and regional affairs, to better protect the common interests of Africa and developing countries.

Geingob congratulated Xi on his re-election as Chinese president, and congratulated China on its great achievements in economic and social development under the leadership of the Communist Party of China with Xi at the core.

He wished China success in building into a great modern socialist country that is prosperous, strong, democratic, culturally advanced, harmonious and beautiful.

Calling China the best friend of Africa, Geingob said the two countries had traditional friendship and Namibia attached great importance to its ties with China.

Namibia is willing to cooperate more with China in such areas as infrastructure, sustainable development, human resources, technology, poverty reduction, people-to-people exchanges and major cooperation projects, he said.

He stressed the fact that China never colonized Africa and has always treated small and medium-sized African countries on an equal footing.

Geingob said the African people opposed unfounded accusations against China.

Namibia supports cooperation under the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, and enhanced coordination between China and Africa in international affairs, he said.

Calling China and Africa a community with shared future and interests, Xi said China-Africa relations had set an example for South-South cooperation.

"In the past when China was not well off, Chairman Mao Zedong and other Chinese leaders decided that China ought to support Africa despite its own difficulties," Xi said. "As China has well developed, it will offer more help to Africa."

"China has upheld justice and pursued shared interests and built relations with Africa based on sincerity, affinity and good faith," Xi said.

"China will combine its development with helping Africa's development, to realize win-win results and common development," Xi said, expressing the hope to strengthen African countries' capability of independent sustainable development through China-Africa cooperation.

Xi said he believed China and Africa would join hands to build a closer community with shared future and inject new impetus to China-Africa ties.

After their talks, the two heads of state jointly witnessed the signing of several bilateral cooperation documents in fields such as infrastructure, financing, inspection and quarantine.

Prior to the talks, Xi held a red-carpet welcoming ceremony for Geingob.