专栏名称: CHINADAILY

China Daily’s Wechat account provides China news, in-depth reports, analysis, photos, and information for expats.

Sino-Namibian ties deepening

CHINADAILY · 公众号 · 时评 · 2025-03-20 11:55

正文

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.

▲ A member of the 16th Chinese medical team talks to children about the importance of handwashing at the Frans Nambinga Arts and Training Center in Windhoek, the capital of Namibia, on Nov 20, 2024. Since 1996, the Chinese government has consistently sent medical teams to Namibia to enhance healthcare services in the country. Chen Cheng/Xinhua

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".

Sino-Namibian ties deepening

正文

请到「今天看啥」查看全文