DM Monitoring
WINDHOEK: The relations between China and the southern African country Namibia are further strengthened by strong mutual support in fighting the COVID-19 pandemic, said Chinese Ambassador to Namibia Zhang Yiming.
Zhang said that when the novel coronavirus outbreak was rapidly spreading in China, Namibia’s President Hage Geingob expressed support for the Chinese people and their fight against the virus, “demonstrating the all-weather friendship between the two countries.”
The Chinese side has regularly briefed the Namibian government on China’s COVID-19 situation, he told Xinhua in an interview.
Meanwhile, “We have updated the Namibian government on the living and study conditions of some 500 Namibian students in China and maintained close interaction to jointly make sure the students are safe and sound,” Zhang added.
In quick response to Namibia’s coronavirus outbreak, the Chinese ambassador said the embassy has donated 1,000 test kits to the Namibian government, adding that Alibaba’s Jack Ma had donated 20,000 test kits, 100,000 masks and 1,000 protective suits for medical staff and face shields to Namibia. “Chinese medical experts held a video conference to share their fighting COVID-19 experience with their African Union counterparts and 24 other African countries, including Namibia,” he said.
The envoy said that China, as President Xi Jinping pledged in a phone conversation held Friday with Geingob, is expected to step up assistance to Namibia and other African countries to support their fight against COVID-19.
The two presidents’ phone conversation injected new, strong impetus into the development of bilateral relations, the Chinese ambassador said, adding he was confident about a closer relationship between the two countries.
