Wang Yi reaffirms unwavering tradition of Chinese FMs starting year with Africa trip

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday reaffirmed the fine tradition for Chinese foreign ministers to start their year-round overseas visits with a trip to Africa.

This practice has been consistent for 35 years and has never changed or wavered, said Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, during a meeting with Namibia's President-elect Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah in Windhoek, capital of the Southern African country.

"We hope that by upholding the tradition, we can show the world that no matter how the international and regional situation changes, China will always be the most credible friend of our brothers and sisters in Africa, the most reliable partner in the pursuit of development and revitalization of African countries, and the strongest backing for Africa in the international arena," Wang said.

Strengthening unity and cooperation between China and Africa and jointly safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries are in line with historical justice, the trend of the times and the common aspiration of the combined 2.8 billion people of China and Africa, he said.

Noting that this year marks the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Namibia, Wang said bilateral cooperation has immense potential for the future.

He recalled the successful Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in Beijing last year, expressing China's readiness to align with Namibia to accelerate the implementation of the summit's outcomes to ensure continuous progress in their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

China will continue to support Namibia in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions, said Wang, praising Namibia's steadfast adherence to the one-China principle. He said that China is willing to work with Namibia to deepen political trust, strengthen interparty exchanges and share governance experiences to enhance mutual understanding and provide guidance for bilateral relations.

China remains committed to supporting Namibia's economic development by helping transform its resource advantages into developmental and societal benefits, jointly advancing modernization in both countries, Wang said.

With 2025 marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, Wang called for stronger strategic coordination in multilateral fields to safeguard the common interests of Africa and developing countries, while upholding international fairness and justice.

Ndaitwah said that in 2018, the leaders of Namibia and China elevated their bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, which was of great significance.

She welcomed Wang's visit to Africa and Namibia at the beginning of the new year, noting that he is the first foreign minister she has met since the election, which reflected the high regard both sides hold for the bilateral relations.

Underlining the sister-party relationship between the South West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) Party and the CPC, Ndaitwah thanked the CPC for sending representatives to observe Namibia's election and expressed a desire to continue strengthening exchanges and cooperation between the two parties.

Ndaitwah said the people of the two countries have sustained longstanding friendship and Namibia will continue to consolidate and promote bilateral cooperation and remain committed to the one-China principle. She expressed readiness to implement the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit and enhance cooperation with China in trade, education, agriculture, infrastructure and energy resources, to bring new opportunities for Namibia's economic and social development and deliver benefits to the people of both nations.

Wang arrived in Windhoek on Monday, kicking off a week-long Africa tour that will also take him to the Republic of the Congo, Chad and Nigeria.

(With input from Xinhua)