Namibian President Nangolo Mbumba has lauded the transformative impact of Chinese investment on Namibia's economy, particularly in the uranium mining sector.
The mining industry plays a crucial role in Namibia's economy, contributing approximately 14.4 percent to the nation's gross domestic product (GDP) in 2023.
The uranium mining project stands as China's largest single industrial investment in Africa and exemplifies successful cooperation between China and Namibia. The project has positioned Namibia as a leading global uranium producer, as President Mbumba noted in an interview with China Media Group (CMG) aired on Friday.
"A project like that in the first place in a country which needs employment, in a country which needs technology, in a country which you needs development, it's very, very important to have champions in every respect. You have to have champions, champions in terms of industry, champions in terms of mining. And to be recognized that we are the second or third largest producer of uranium in the world, and to have a company which is strong and the company that is also connected to a major nation is very beneficial to us. And they did not stop there, they also extend to the old Rossing Uranium Mine. So it is become now an industry known and identified by Namibians and for Namibia as a country," said Mbumba.
The Rossing Uranium Mine has been operational for 48 years and is the largest and longest-operational open-pit uranium mine in the world. In 2019, Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto officially handed over Rossing to its new majority shareholder, the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC).
According to Mbumba, the China-Namibia uranium mining project has contributed about 6 percent to 7 percent of Namibia's GDP, created around 8,000 high-paying jobs, and brought in nearly 1 billion Namibian dollars (about 57 million U.S. dollars) in tax revenue.
"And remember, for 3 million people, that's quite a [lot of] money in the bank. Not in the pocket, but in the bank," Mbumba said.
Chinese investment fuels Namibia’s uranium boom, drives economic growth: Namibian president
Foreign diplomats and scholars are looking closely at this year's "two sessions", saying China's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) will not only chart the nation's economic and technological priorities but also reshape global value chains.
The fourth session of the 14th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the nation's top political advisory body, opened on Wednesday, followed by the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC) on Thursday. Together known as the "two sessions," these meetings offer a comprehensive view into China's development priorities.
Global observers emphasized that the 15th Five-Year Plan, a blueprint guiding the nation's economic, social, and technological priorities over the next five years, marks a decisive shift toward high‑quality growth anchored in advanced technologies, with ripple effects across the world.
"The two sessions will discuss China's five-year plan, which is heavily oriented toward China's major technological development. I believe this is important because it represents the new blueprint for China's economy, which is now oriented toward the renowned high-quality development, and this will undoubtedly impact the entire world. I think it is worth studying. This is very important for Latin America. It will help us integrate more intelligently into global value chains and into all aspects of the major development that China is promoting in iconic industrial sectors, such as artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and space development, where Latin America also has much to contribute beyond just commercial growth," said Gustavo Sabino Vaca Narvaja, former Argentine Ambassador to China.
"The two sessions are a major political milestone in China, and this year's gathering carries even greater significance as this year marks the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan. This plan represents not only a blueprint for China, but also a guide for other countries. Instruments like the five-year plan effectively provide greater certainty and predictability for the rest of the world," said Chilean scholar of international relations Ignacio Araya Heredia.
"This is a particularly important date, especially due to the fact that the next Five-Year Plan shall be positioned and we're going to see what its main elements shall be. Serbia, which has a very high degree of steel friendship with the People's Republic of China, can expect further assistance in identifying the most prominent areas of Serbian economy and being helped by its great partner, such as it has been done in the previous period, from one part with establishing the main infrastructure projects, but also reshaping the industrial sector of Serbia, not just Serbia, but the region as a whole," said Veljko Mijuskovic, assistant professor of the Faculty of Economics of the University of Belgrade.
Beyond the policy framework, experts also pointed to China's achievements in green energy and technological innovation as models worth emulating.
Tomasz Bielinski, adjunct professor at the University of Gdansk's Faculty of Economics, said the robotics displays at the 2026 China Media Group (CMG) Spring Festival Gala reflected China's broader push in technological innovation.
"I was really impressed about the robotics. I'm very impressed with Chinese development in the technological field, we can still make great deals with Chinese businessmen and we can cooperate together to use this technology for both the good of China and the European Union. I'm aware of the innovation especially in autonomous drive on the on the Chinese side," he said.
"We hope for more of China's economic cooperation, especially in trade and also in investment. Also, and the other focus, if I talk about the focus of the development, don't forget about the green energy. We know that China is great in the electric vehicle field. So because China's electric vehicles in Indonesia nowadays, since couple of years ago, are very, very popular," said Al Busyra Basnur, president of the Indonesia-China Friendship Association.
Observers see China's new five-year plan driving high-quality development, global tech shifts
