Namibian President Nangolo Mbumba has encouraged China and other countries facing false narratives propagated by Western powers to embrace their own histories in order to move forward.
In an exclusive interview with China Media Group (CMG) aired on Friday, Mbumba called out Western scholars and commentators who have painted China as a "neo-imperialist" power rather than a country intent on pursuing peaceful development.
The president rejected this framing, stressing that China and African countries have fought shoulder-to-shoulder against imperialism and colonialism. That history, he said, should not be forgotten amid international efforts to pursue common development.
"I think one thing we must understand -- honoring your history. Honoring the history of the former leaders and honoring the culture and history of your own country come in many ways. Some people write about it. Some people invent things about it. Some people will produce energy, food and other things. Some other people respect and protect their own country, whether it is with their harbors or space or land or air. So, respect comes in many ways," Mbumba said.
"The 'amnesia' is the jealousy. We must admit that some people are just jealous of what China has become in such a short time getting so many millions of people out of poverty and hunger and putting them on par with the rest of the developed countries. But ours now is to make sure that we cooperate in the development around the economies, in the training of our people, in providing health to our people. You are now free, behave like free people and develop. Choose your friends and talk to your friends the way you want to talk and not to be told who to talk to and who not to engage with," added the Namibian president.
Honoring of history vital to overcoming false Western narratives: Namibian president
Honoring of history vital to overcoming false Western narratives: Namibian president
China has seen rising sales of products such as cars and home appliances, during the week-long National Day holiday, which started on Oct.1, thanks to the ongoing trade-in program for consumer goods.
Shanghai has offered substantial subsidies for consumers replacing old appliances with newer, greener models, further fueling the buying frenzy amid the holiday.
The city's initiative expands upon the national trade-in program by including a wider range of eligible products.
In addition to the eight major appliance categories like refrigerators, washing machines, televisions, and air conditioners, the program now covers 60 additional product types, including robot vacuums, air purifiers, and hearing aids. Subsidies cover 15 percent of the sales price, up to a maximum of 2,000 yuan (around 285 U.S. dollars).
"There has been at least a 50 percent to 60 percent increase in customer flow compared to the previous promotional period," said Zhang Xiaoliang, operation director of a home appliance store.
The first three days of October witnessed a total sales revenue of home appliances reaching nearly 300 million yuan (roughly 42.74 billion U.S. dollars) in the city.
Meanwhile, consumer goods trade-in program rolled out by the Shanghai government has spurred rising sales of vehicles.
The subsidy for consumers in Shanghai who scrap old cars and buy new ones has increased to 20,000 yuan (about 2,850 U.S. dollars) for purchasing a new-energy vehicle (NEV) and 15,000 yuan (around 2,137 U.S. dollars) for a fuel vehicle.
"The current sales volume, sales turnover and the number of customers who come for a test drive, have all increased by some 30 percent respectively compared with the same period last year," explained Mr. Zhu, a sales representative at a dealership.
Hefei City in east China's Anhui Province held an auto show from Sept. 29 to Oct. 5, attracting many potential purchasers following the implementation of trade-in programs.
In addition to trade-in subsides of up to 20,000 yuan (about 2,850 U.S. dollars), the city has issued auto vouchers worth 37 million yuan (roughly 5.27 U.S. million dollars) to boost auto sales during the consumption boom period.
"The vehicle trade-in policy introduced by Anhui Province has effectively stimulated consumers' purchase intentions. It's a good news for our company. During this auto show, we offered discounts of up to 70,000 yuan (around 9,974 U.S. dollars)," said Yu Dongming, general manager of NIO's regional branch in Hefei.
From Sept. 29 to Oct. 4, about 447,000 visitors attended the exhibition, and a total of 18,807 vehicles were sold.
China's trade-in program spurs consumer market vitality during National Day holiday
