Namibia and the entire African continent are firmly behind the rise of China's economy and its positive role in shaping the course of history through constructive diplomatic engagement globally, said a senior Namibian official.

According to Immanuel Ngatjizeko, Namibian minister of trade and industry, the entire world is now benefiting from the wise economic polices implemented by the Chinese leaders.

He said every country has now come to recognize the important economic role China is playing, as it has profoundly changed the terms of trade and the distribution of wealth between and within many countries.

"It is a welcome phenomenon which is to all our mutual benefit and progress," said the minister in a recent written interview with Xinhua.

However, China's economic rise has also created fear and suspicion among those countries that used to enjoy unfettered market access for consumer and industrial goods in a majority of international markets, where they have been edged out by China-made imports.

"This of course is a natural process within the capitalist system, which is designed to encourage the most productive company to enjoy market penetration and domination," said Ngatjizeko. "But I don't think we should be deterred by it."

Instead, he called for closer relation and cooperation between African countries and China, whose increasing demand for development resources such as aluminum, steel, nickel, copper, oil and gas has immensely contributed to Africa's importance as a provider of these resources.

"We need to build upon our historical experiences, and translate the political gains into an economic advantage by collaborating to increase Chinese investments, capital, and technology in Africa to assist us in tapping the abundant mineral resources and agricultural potential," Ngatjizeko said.

China has registered an annual average growth rate of more than 9 percent over the past 25 years. Its export and import volumes totaled 1.422 trillion U.S. dollars in 2005, growing at a high rate which has placed China among one of the world's top trading countries.

However, Ngatjizeko said there's need to increase China-Africa trade, as the total Chinese trade with African countries only constitutes a meager 2.1 percent of its total world trade. There is therefore immense scope for the improvement and expansion of China-Africa trade in sectors such as agriculture, services, tourism, manufacturing and so forth.

"Indeed, Africa needs China to help add value to its natural resources and thereby ensure that we too in Africa will make a big leap from developing status toward developed countries," he said.

"We invite Chinese business people to come to Namibia, ready to exploit business opportunities and in particular to manufacture consumer goods as well as industrial goods for export to neighboring African countries, the United States and Europe," added the minister.

Namibia and China have signed a bilateral investment promotion and protection agreement to see that Chinese investors and their investments are secured and protected against any confiscation or arbitrary measures, according to the official.

"Therefore, I would like to strongly encourage powerful and big companies from China to seek investment opportunities in Namibia as soon as possible before others come to discover them," he said.

Ngatjizeko hoped that the forthcoming China-Africa Cooperation Forum scheduled early next month in Beijing will further strengthen the existing cooperation between Africa and China, renew assurances of solidarity, and provide a clear direction to many of the issues that are affecting the global community, in particular the developing world.

"Economically, we should increase trade and investment, and technical cooperation between Africa and China in the areas of infrastructure development, construction, mining exploration, agriculture, tourism, services and many others," he said.

Source: Xinhua