By: Dwight Links
The Chinese embassy in Namibia recently unveiled a localised plan in line with the 2026 theme of ‘People-to-People Exchanges’ between the two nations.
This will serve as a roadmap looking into various social interactions aimed at bringing both China and Africa closer together.
Chinese ambassador Zhao Weiping indicated that this was a decision agreed upon by the various African heads of state and Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2024.
“People-to-People Exchange was launched in Addis Ababa in January, which was attended by Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi. On the occasion of establishing the People-to-People Exchanges, along with the celebration of the 70th anniversary of relations between Africa and China, this is an important consensus that marks a significant step for public support for China-Africa friendship,” the ambassador noted.
Weiping noted that the two civilisations of China and Africa have shared mutual enrichment for hundreds of years, with President Xi adding that “both sides see these exchanges as an opportunity to expand mutual learning, expand the people-to-people exchanges, especially among the youth, deepen the exchange of governance experience and jointly advance modernisation.”
The People-to-People Exchange is based on four main pillars: the power of Youth, Cultural Kaleidoscope, Livelihood Boosters, Symphony of Ideas, and Talent Incubators.
“The Global South, represented by China and Africa, is developing and rising irresistibly. Meanwhile, the world remains far from peaceful,” Yi noted on the Global South’s cooperation amid historical shifts in the international landscape.
