A promotional event for the seventh China International Import Expo and the Hongqiao International Economic Forum was held in Windhoek, capital of Namibia, on April 9. Approximately 120 people attended the event, including representatives from Namibia's Ministry of Industrialization and Trade, the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB), businesses, and exhibition organizations. Shen Jian, chargé d'affaires ad interim of the Chinese embassy in Namibia, noted that China has been Namibia's second-largest trading partner and the largest source of foreign direct investment for consecutive years. He expressed hope that Namibian businesses can better understand the CIIE through this event and bring more high-quality local products to the Chinese market to share development opportunities with China. Song Shangzhe from the CIIE Bureau provided an overview of the CIIE. He stated that over the past six years, an increasing number of African enterprises and unique local products have entered the C hinese market through the expo. As a global public good, the CIIE is willing to support African enterprises and their high-quality products, including those from Namibia, in entering the Chinese market, Song added. Yu Zirong, vice-president of the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, shared basic information about the Hongqiao International Economic Forum, an important part of the CIIE. He expressed hope that more topics relevant to developing countries, particularly African nations, would be included in the forum's discussions. He also anticipated increased attention and participation from Namibia and other African countries in future editions of the forum. Representatives from the Namibian government and trade associations said that they will actively mobilize local enterprises to participate in the CIIE to seize the opportunities offered by the Chinese market. During their time in Namibia, the CIIE working team also visited local institutions and enterprises, including NIPDB and the Namib Desert Diamonds Ltd, to further encourage their participation in the CIIE. Source: Ghana News Agency