Russia launched the "Arctic Express No. 1" logistics express service on Friday in Moscow Oblast.
The logistics route, featuring rail-sea intermodal transportation, connects Moscow with Chinese ports, with a transit stop at Arkhangelsk port in northwest Russia via the Arctic Ocean.
The 13,000-km route is expected to slash transportation time to 20 to 25 days, a reduction of at least 20 days compared with the traditional route via the Suez Canal.
At the inauguration ceremony, Chinese Ambassador to Russia Zhang Hanhui said the opening operation of the Arctic Express No. 1 will not only inject new momentum into development of logistics and transportation between the two countries, but also effectively promote all-round cooperation including bilateral trade, investment and technological innovation.
Russia launches logistics express services to China
Namibian President Nangolo Mbumba expressed agreement with China's vision of building a community with a shared future for mankind, calling on the world to leave behind inequality and the domination of one country over others.
In September, Mbumba visited Beijing to attend the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), the largest diplomatic event China has hosted in recent years, with the highest rate of attendance by foreign leaders. The summit ran from Sept 4 to 6 with the goal of deepening ties and outlining future cooperation between China and Africa.
So many African leaders attended the event because they understand the global trend of development and the importance of multilateralism, said the president in an interview with China Media Group (CMG) that aired Friday.
"Development will take place. But the question is, is this development for the welfare of the people and the benefit of the world, or is [it] for selfish ends? And that is what we have to avoid. We have to work together, cooperate together and build a shared prosperity for all people, for all nations," he said.
In Mbumba's view, the greatest hindrance to the realization of an equal and just world is a global power structure dependent on the exploitation of developing countries.
"I think the inequality of the past, the domination of other countries and other people of the past, we should leave that behind and truly and honestly work together to develop. We don't need to be engaged in funny politics of destroying one another or robbing one another's minerals or countries, but to cooperate together and benefit all of us," said Mbumba.
"For some people to think that they are the only one, their country is the only one that matters, and the lives of their people is the only thing that matters, other people, you can get rid of them [and] it is not important. It is very, very important that humanity accepts that we are one, that we better learn how to cooperate, how to work together," he said.
The Namibian president pointed to China's Global Development Initiative, Global Security Initiative and Global Civilization Initiative as viable alternatives to existing hegemonic paradigms.
"I think it is very, very important that through the initiative like that by honest people representing strong, honest principles, they are worthy of pursuing, they are worthy of respecting. And we should work, all of us, work together, to make humanity at this level of development, all the world, to live in peace, to be able to live the lives our grandparents or great-great grandparents could not have imagined," Mbumba said.
Namibia stands in agreement with China's vision for shared prosperity: president
