Chinese people in Namibia

Chinese people in Namibia

Total population
various estimates
Regions with significant populations
Windhoek, Oshakati[1]
Languages
Chinese; English

The number of Chinese people in Namibia has grown tremendously since independence.

Migration history

As recently as 1998 China Radio International were reported to be only fifty Chinese people doing business in Namibia, but by 2005 that had grown to more than a thousand.^[2]

Trade

In the 2000s, trade between China and Namibia grew, rising from in $75 million in 2003 to $600 million in 2009.^[3] China City, a wholesale and retail centre located in an industrial area of northern Windhoek about 20 minutes from downtown, was opened in 1998 by Li Chengyuan, (李澄原), a businessman from Taiwan; by 2005, merchants there were importing about 1,000 containers of goods per year from China.^[2]

Many Chinese migrants establish small retail businesses particularly in clothing and jewelry.^[1] The arrival of Chinese traders has drawn complaints from local traders about competition and concern about quality and safety. However, some Namibians welcomed the addition of Chinese in the retail sector citing the benefit of employment creation and lower costs of goods.

Integration and community

There are a few Chinese restaurants (three in Windhoek) and grocery stores in the country. The restaurants are popular among local Namibians.^[4]

The embassy's Chinese New Year celebration in 2010 reportedly attracted more than 1,000 Chinese guests, including migrants, international students, and representatives of Chinese multinationals stationed in the country, as well as about 100 local people.^[5]

See also

• Angolans in Namibia
• German Namibians

References

1. ^ ^{a b} Xoagub, Francis (2011-02-17), "Namibia: Chinese 'Invasion' Gets Mixed Reaction", New Era, http://allafrica.com/stories/201102170599.html, retrieved 2011-10-08 
2. ^ ^{a b} 王蕾 (2005-01-28), "纳米比亚有座中国城 [Namibia has a Chinatown]", China Radio International, http://gb.cri.cn/2201/2005/01/28/[e-mail], retrieved 2011-10-08 
3. ^ Inambao, Chrispin (2010-10-04), "Trade with China Grows", New Era, http://allafrica.com/stories/201010041203.html, retrieved 2011-10-08 
4. ^ Helmich, Namene (2011-09-12), "Namibians take to Chinese food", New Era, http://www.newera.com.na/article.php?articleid=40599&title=Namibians%20take%20to%20Chinese%20food, retrieved 2011-10-08 
5. ^ "纳米比亚华侨华人举行春节庆祝活动 [Overseas Chinese in Namibia hold New Year celebration activities]", Xinhua News, 2010-02-10, http://news.xinhuanet.com/overseas/2010-02/10/content_12964164.htm, retrieved 2011-10-08