President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah departed this morning for China, where she will further cement long-standing diplomatic ties between Namibia and China.

She was accorded full state honours as she took off from the Hosea Kutako International Airport. 

The visit comes as trade between the two countries continues to grow, with bilateral trade reaching about N$40 billion last year. 

In the first four months of 2026 alone, trade has already reached nearly N$15 billion.

Presidential Spokesperson Jonas Mbambo says the visit is an opportunity for Namibia to learn from China's development journey while pursuing solutions suited to the country's own needs.

"We are going there with the expectation of learning, not copying and pasting. We will learn from their mistakes, we will learn from what they have done right and apply it to our situation. There isn't necessarily a one-size-fits-all formula when it comes to our development."

The visit will also focus on expanding cooperation beyond the export of raw minerals.

Namibia is seeking greater investment in value addition, particularly in processing minerals such as lithium, uranium and copper into finished products that can create jobs and boost industrialisation.

Mbambo said the growing trade figures show the untapped potential of the partnership.

"Last year, the trade between Namibia and China reached about N$40 billion. The first four months of 2026 alone saw close to N$15 billion in trade. We want to see batteries produced here rather than exporting lithium in its raw form. This is a very big opportunity for us to make or break."

President Nandi-Ndaitwah's visit is expected to further deepen bilateral relations and explore new avenues for investment, trade and economic transformation between the two countries.

Vice-President Lucia Witbooi, cabinet ministers and members of the diplomatic corps were amongst those present to see the president off.