Nam-China ties that bind

Over the years, partnerships between developing and developed countries have enabled nations to advance through the exchange of knowledge, bilateral trade and cultural cooperation. In recent years, however, city-to-city partnerships have also gained traction across the continent and beyond, as demonstrated by the recent Jiangxi Culture Goes to International Sister Cities (Namibia) media publicity event.The relationship between Namibia and China dates back to the country's independence. “In 1990, just one day after our flag was raised, the People's Republic of China established diplomatic relations with an independent Namibia,” Khomas governor Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma told attendees at the event on 9 September 2026.Namibia's Founding President Sam Nujoma, travelled to China on numerous occasions during his lifetime and regarded the Chinese people as comrades, not only in the struggle for political freedom but also for economic emancipation.Highlighting the enduring value of strategic international partnerships, Governor Nujoma noted that “relations between nations are often measured in trade figures and volumes, but what endures between peoples is what they come to understand about one another, the mutual appreciation of each other's unique culture”.For Namibia and China, this mutual appreciation extends across several spheres, including culture, education, mining and media cooperation.High-level diplomatic engagements remain critical to sustaining and deepening such relationships. President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah's state visit to China in July 2026, during which she met President Xi Jinping, provided an opportunity for the two countries to elevate their bilateral relationship to a community with a shared future.According to Ambassador Zhao Weiping, the Jiangxi-Namibia cultural and media bridge gives this elevated relationship a tangible institutional expression, connecting the two countries through one of diplomacy's oldest and most enduring instruments: culture.Cultural exchange to economic opportunityJiangxi Province offers several examples of how targeted development initiatives can transform communities and create economic opportunities. Its experiences range from rural revitalisation in Shenshan Village and green development in Wangxian Valley to shared prosperity through the Zixi Bread project, industrial development through Nankang Furniture and technological innovation in intelligent vehicle manufacturing.These initiatives offer valuable lessons for Namibia, particularly in exploring how similar partnerships and projects could stimulate local economic activity and create employment.Once on the verge of abandonment, Shenshan Village has been transformed through investments in modern roads, electricity, clean water and internet connectivity. Today, it is also known for peach farming and tourism.Wangxian Valley, meanwhile, has evolved from a former granite quarry into a tourism destination featuring cliffside guesthouses and attracting more than three million visitors. The Zixi Bread project provides another compelling example of entrepreneurship and employment creation. In a city of just 100 000 people, the initiative has helped develop a baking industry involving more than 40 000 bakers, with over 16 000 bakeries across China.Together, these examples demonstrate the possibilities that emerge when local resources, innovation and targeted development initiatives are brought together.Education as a driver of developmentEducational exchanges are another important pillar of Jiangxi's international cooperation efforts. In 2026 alone, more than 4 400 African students, including 10 Namibians, benefited from technical training opportunities covering fields such as mining, economics and trade, and traditional Chinese medicine.For the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), the recent high-level state visit to China presented an opportunity to pursue partnerships in higher education, research, innovation, agriculture, technology, investment and skills development. The university was represented by then acting vice-chancellor Professor Andrew Niikondo and director of corporate engagement and internationalisation Nashilongo Gervasius.Among the proposed NUST initiatives discussed during the visit to Jiangxi was the establishment of the Otavi Agricultural Campus, an undertaking aligned with Namibia's Vision 2030, particularly its priorities of food security, industrialisation and sustainable employment.The proposed campus is envisaged as more than a conventional agricultural training institution. It will seek to connect agricultural education with broader industrial development through areas such as agro-processing and value addition, food processing, agricultural mechanisation, entrepreneurship, research and innovation.Power of shared narrativesThe recently signed Memorandum of Understanding on Media Cooperation between the Jiangxi International Communication Centre and New Era Publication Corporation marks an important starting point for a partnership built around public-interest journalism, cultural storytelling, journalism education and people-to-people exchanges.New Era CEO Christof Maletsky said media cooperation had become an important pillar of Namibia-China relations, adding that plans were underway to establish a joint communication centre to facilitate greater collaboration and exchanges between media organisations in the two countries.“In our industry, we often say that whoever controls the narrative controls the future. For too long, the stories of the Global South, and of Namibia in particular, have been filtered through external lenses that fail to capture our true dynamism, our struggles and our triumphs,” Maletsky said.Panel discussions involving journalism academics from the University of Namibia and NUST further underscored the role of universities as natural partners in academic cooperation, knowledge exchange, research collaboration and youth development.The envisaged collaboration will also facilitate exchanges involving personnel, academics and students between Jiangxi Province and the Khomas region.As these city-to-city and institutional partnerships take shape, their long-term value will be measured not only by cultural understanding and stronger institutional ties, but also by their ability to unlock opportunities in education, innovation, economic development and sustainable employment.*Dr Wanja Njuguna is a senior lecturer in journalism and media technology at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST). The opinions expressed in this article are her own and do not necessarily reflect the views of her employer.

Nam-China ties that bind

Comments

Namibian Sun 2026-11-09

Please login to leave a comment

Nam-China ties that bind

Comments

Namibian Sun 2026-11-09

Please login to leave a comment

Subscription Required to Access Content ×

Login

Subscription Required to Access Content