Namibia welcomes Chinese companies: president

Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba said Friday in Windhoek that his country welcomes more Chinese companies to come and invest, as those who are already in the country have made "wonderful contributions" to its growth.

The president made the remarks during an exclusive interview with Xinhua before he goes to Beijing for the Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in November.

"The Chinese companies who had not yet come to Namibia are invited to come. They can come first to see what areas they would like to invest in. I want to see our people through joint ventures with Chinese to get trained in the running of business," the president said.

Many Chinese businesses are located at strategic centers in Namibia, including rural areas, benefiting the majority of Namibians, Pohamba said.

He said that he wanted to see Chinese companies to come and join their Namibian counterparts in bringing about development to Namibia, which gained independence in 1990 after longtime struggle.

The president specified agriculture, mining and tourism as three areas, among others, which most welcome more investment from Chinese companies.

Chinese Ambassador to Namibia Liang Yinzhu said here on Thursday at the reception commemorating the 57th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China that China has all along viewed Namibia as one of the most reliable friends and will continue to strengthen friendship with the country and its people.

The trade volume between the two countries increased rapidly and grew to nearly 140 million U.S. dollars last year, while the economic cooperation extended to the areas of railway and telecommunication.

Source: Xinhua