Beijing – Namibia’s Minister of International Relations and Trade, Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, wrapped up an official visit to China on April 18, 2026, after a week of talks that produced a joint commitment to take the two countries’ relationship to a higher level.
The visit, which ran from April 11 to 18, was held at the invitation of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee. The two ministers held what both sides described as in-depth and cordial talks covering bilateral relations as well as international and regional issues of shared interest.
Both sides came out of the talks with a strong commitment to multilateralism, agreeing that global challenges should be addressed collectively through inclusive dialogue rather than through unilateral action. They pledged to deepen collaboration at multilateral platforms, amplify the voice of developing countries in global decision-making, and promote south-south cooperation. 
Namibia used the visit to reaffirm its support for the series of major initiatives put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping, expressing readiness to work with China to build what both countries described as a community with a shared future for humanity. China, in turn, praised Namibia’s efforts in upholding multilateralism, calling for international fairness and justice, safeguarding international law and the free trade system, and promoting African continental integration.
On the question of Taiwan, Namibia reaffirmed its longstanding commitment to the one-China principle and the authority of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 2758. Namibia stated that there is but one China in the world, that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory, and that the government of the People’s Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. Namibia also said it opposes any form of Taiwan independence and supports all efforts by the Chinese government to achieve national reunification.
Both sides agreed to maintain high-level exchanges and to advance the implementation of outcomes from the 2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. Cooperation is expected to expand across a broad range of sectors including new energy, oil and gas, minerals, agriculture, science and technology, education, tourism, infrastructure and human resources.
Namibia made clear during the talks that it wants to move beyond simply exporting raw materials. The minister stressed the importance of promoting the processing and conversion of natural resources, including critical minerals such as uranium, to extend the value chain and keep more benefits within the country. The broader goal is to drive industrialisation, strengthen local processing capacity, create employment and deepen Namibia’s integration into global industrial chains, particularly in green hydrogen, oil and gas, mining and tourism.
China said it firmly supports Namibia’s economic and social development and is ready to assist the country in implementing its Sixth National Development Plan and realising Vision 2030. Namibia welcomed China’s announcement of zero tariff measures and said it would continue to regard China as a strategic economic partner, welcoming Chinese companies to invest and operate in the country.
Both sides also committed to using the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges to promote cultural exchanges and build friendship among the youth of both nations.
