Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah arrived in Guangzhou on July 5, 2026, commencing a week-long state visit, which is also her first trip to China since assuming office.
Her choice of Guangdong as the first stop is no coincidence: the province stands as China's most economically dynamic region and a vital gateway for China-African engagement. Guangdong has forged increasingly close ties with Namibia in recent years through robust trade figures, high-level policy dialogue, and practical projects that deliver water, jobs, food, and hope.
A trade powerhouse with African links
Trade between Guangdong and Africa continues to grow rapidly. In the first quarter of 2026, the province's imports and exports with Africa reached RMB 84.98 billion, up 29.7% year-on-year.
Guangzhou alone accounted for a quarter of the provincial total, with 18 months of consecutive growth. Bulk carriers, automobile engines, and motorcycle parts account for the majority of the city's outbound shipments, which have all grown by more than 30%.
More strikingly, Guangzhou exported over half of its motorcycles, one-third of its Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) TVs, and over a quarter of its ceramic products to African markets in Q1, all recording double‑digit annual increases.
Guangzhou increased its imports of African edible aquatic products by 27.6%, including Namibian lobsters, Tanzanian mud crabs, and other high‑quality seafood.
Logistics infrastructure has kept pace: Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport now operates six regular routes to Africa, serving Ethiopia, Egypt, and other key destinations. At sea, Nansha Port has opened 25 shipping routes connecting Africa. A new direct service to North Africa, launched in April 2026, now provides stable, direct connections to Egypt's Port Said and Libya's Benghazi, significantly facilitating trade flows.
The institutional framework is also expanding. In October 2025, the China-Africa Economic and Trade (Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao) Greater Bay Area International Business Center was inaugurated in Nansha, Guangzhou. Namibia plans to establish a presence at the center to facilitate its enterprises' access to premium resources and business networks.
High‑level engagement and sectoral dialogue
Namibia's Minister of International Relations and Trade, Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, attended the 139th Canton Fair in April 2026 and held talks with Guangdong Vice‑Governor Zhang Guozhi at the opening reception.
The minister noted that she had personally witnessed China's remarkable development achievements and hoped that this visit would lead to greater cooperation with Guangdong in trade, investment, mining, logistics, and other fields.
Zhang Guozhi responded that the two sides are highly complementary and hold vast cooperative potential. He looked forward to strengthening ties in economy, investment, culture, and tourism – while leveraging the 2026 China‑Africa Year of People‑to‑People Exchanges to promote mutual visits and people‑to‑people connections.
On-the-ground impact: from water to livelihoods
Beyond trade and diplomacy, tangible cooperation projects are transforming local communities across Namibia.
The Shenzhen‑headquartered CGN Swakop Uranium and Namibia Water Corporation Ltd. (NamWater) are now building a seawater desalination plant with an annual capacity of 20 million tonnes.
Under the agreement, the joint venture is responsible for the project's full-cycle construction, operation, and maintenance, directly addressing regional water shortages. According to estimates, associated industries have already attracted NAD 2.8 billion in investment, and the project is expected to create 18,000 jobs over the next four years.
CGN Swakop Uranium has also partnered with Namibia's Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform, the Erongo Regional Council, and local cooperatives to launch the Hope Farm project.
Since its inception on July 26, 2025, Phase I has distributed 1,008 goats and sheep to 48 households. By the end of January 2026, the total livestock herd had reached 1,248, tangibly boosting local farmers' incomes.
Phase II of the project, now underway, goes even further: In addition to distributing 104 certified goats, the project includes renovating three existing greenhouses and building a new one, rehabilitating boreholes and water retention dams, installing a full irrigation system across five hectares of dryland, and constructing new poultry houses, quarantine and treatment zones, and standardized rabbit shelters.
The first batch of vegetable seedlings is also being planted to supply nearby communities. At the same time, the project is renovating a local retirement home and kindergarten in the surrounding area, while the farm has committed to providing fresh, tailored produce on a regular basis. Together, these initiatives create a holistic development model that integrates economic, social, and nutritional support into a long-term partnership.
Reporter | Guo Chuhua
Photo | Xinhua
