Namibian President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said during a state visit to China that she expects strengthened ties with China to translate into positive economic outcomes.
Delivering a keynote speech at a bilateral trade and investment conference in Beijing on Thursday, the president said the event would bring jobs and investment to her nation.
"This forum, director of ceremony, is not simply another business event. It represents an important opportunity to translate the long-standing friendship and political trusts between Namibia and China into tangible economic outcomes that create jobs, stimulate investment, transfer skill and improve the lives of our people," she said.
Modestus Amutse, Namibia's Minister of Industries, Mines and Energy, said the event would enhance partnerships and deepen cooperation in fields such as energy, investment and agriculture.
"The most important thing is that we meet potential businesspeople and businesspeople already. Most of them are those in the mining sector, energy sector, but others are also in the agricultural sector. So, our interest is to engage so that we form partnerships," he said.
Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, Namibia's Minister of International Relations and Trade, said the business event and the president's visit to China are important in terms of broader Africa-China cooperation.
"We are bilateral partners, but also within the context of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation. What we are discussing is really the decision that we have taken at that forum. So, the visit is significant both in bilateral terms, but also in terms of China-Africa cooperation and the world," she said.
The Namibian president arrived in Beijing on Wednesday to continue state visit to China which will last until Saturday.
Namibian president expects strengthened ties with China to yield positive economic outcomes
Floods triggered by rounds of torrential rain in the aftermath of Typhoon Maysak have left 39 people dead and nine reported missing in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, local authorities said on Thursday.
The death toll includes casualties resulting from a severe breach of a reservoir dam in the regional capital city of Nanning, according to a flood control and disaster relief press conference held at noon on Thursday.
However, officials noted that the death and missing tolls may overlap, as technical identification of some victims is still ongoing.
Following further verification, it was determined that the breach in Liulan Reservoir in Nanning has resulted in 26 deaths, including five unidentified individuals, and seven reported missing cases, said Ding Wei, vice mayor of Nanning.
Nanning had evacuated and resettled a total of 64,500 residents to safer places by Thursday morning. Meanwhile, the city has delivered 100,000 essential items to affected residents, including clothing, drinking water, food, medicine and power banks.
Following the dam breaches at Liulan Reservoir and Yunbiao Reservoir, local authorities invited water experts to the site to provide guidance on emergency rescue and disaster relief.
The experts mainly focused on assessing the dam breaches, and studying relevant measures to lower water level.
"Starting from Wednesday, we have repaired roads leading to the Liulan Reservoir. As of this morning, access to the dam crest is restored. Starting today, we will start dredging work," said Zhai Jianjia, deputy director of Nanning's water resources bureau.
Communication base stations in disaster-hit Hengzhou and Binyang County, both under the jurisdiction of Nanning, are now operating at 87.7 percent of regular capacity. Power has been restored to 63,000 households in these two areas, while traffic flow has resumed across several highway sections and major roads.
"Over 4,200 personnel and more than 1,300 vehicles have been mobilized to clean up silt, garbage and debris, and to conduct post-disaster epidemic prevention work. Over 300 specialists have been dispatched to severely affected areas such as Yunbiao Town and Xiaoyi Town in Hengzhou City, and Gantang Town in Binyang County to conduct environmental monitoring and disinfection," said Ding.
For the transportation of emergency supplies, Nanning relies on expressways and national and provincial highways to transport supplies to distribution points at the boundaries of flooded road sections, and then uses inflatable boats, drones, and other means to transfer them to resettlement sites for the affected people, ensuring their basic needs are met.
Floods in south China's Guangxi leave 39 dead, 9 reportedly missing: authorities
