Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Monday reaffirmed the fine tradition for Chinese foreign ministers to start their year-round overseas visits with a trip to Africa.

This practice has been consistent for 35 years and has never changed or wavered, said Wang, also a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, during a meeting with Namibia’s President-elect Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah in Windhoek, capital of the Southern African country.

“We hope that by upholding the tradition, we can show the world that no matter how the international and regional situation changes, China will always be the most credible friend of our brothers and sisters in Africa, the most reliable partner in the pursuit of development and revitalization of African countries, and the strongest backing for Africa in the international arena,” Wang said.

Strengthening unity and cooperation between China and Africa and jointly safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries are in line with historical justice, the trend of the times and the common aspiration of the combined 2.8 billion people of China and Africa, he said.

Noting that this year marks the 35th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Namibia, Wang said bilateral cooperation has immense potential for the future.

He recalled the successful Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) held in Beijing last year, expressing China’s readiness to align with Namibia to accelerate the implementation of the summit’s outcomes to ensure continuous progress in their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

China will continue to support Namibia in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions, said Wang, praising Namibia’s steadfast adherence to the one-China principle. He said that China is willing to work with Namibia to deepen political trust, strengthen interparty exchanges and share governance experiences to enhance mutual understanding and provide guidance for bilateral relations.