On August 6, 2025, Ambassador Zhao Weiping attended the Official Launch of the Youth Coding Initiative Phase II in Namibia hosted by UNESCO and delivered his remarks at the event. The full text of the speech is as follows:

Honorable Minister Sanet Steenkamp,

Honorable Minister Emma Theofelus,

Representative Eunice Smith,

Rresentatives from CODEMAO and OPPO,

School Principals,

Distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen,

I stand on the protocol established. Good morning.

It’s my great honor to attend this important event at the kind invitation of Representative Eunice Smith. I am here to express the Chinese Embassy’s support for the UNESCO Youth Coding Initiative which aims to foster the development of digital skills among youth in Asia and Africa including Namibia.

We all know that in today’s world it’s critical to equip the young generation with AI knowledge and skills. Youth are the future of all the nations, and AI represents the future of the world. The Namibian Government has attached great importance to providing AI education to its people, and this was fully demonstrated by the gracious attendance of Honorable Minister Steenkamp and Honorable Minister Theofelus at this event. Like UNESCO, China also hopes to make its contribution to the development of AI industry in Namibia either in terms of capacity building or actual application.

I wish to congratulate UNESCO on its strong leadership of implementing the Youth Coding Initiative, and I commend the Chinese companies CODEMAO and OPPO for their contribution. CODEMAO is a leading company in China in the area of providing coding education service, while OPPO has been a famous manufacturer of smart products and supplier of internet service for many years. Although they are not present here yet, they have already lent their helping hand to the AI development of Namibia.

Ladies and gentlemen,

AI is a new field of human development, and an important driving force for a new round of scientific and technological revolution and industrial transformation. Last week, the Chinese Government hosted 2025 World AI Conference and a High-Level Meeting on Global AI Governance, which released an action plan for global AI governance. During the conference, the Chinese Government also proposed the creation of a global AI cooperation organization. As a leading country in the AI development,  China hopes to assist the Global South countries to strengthen their capacity-building and nurture an AI innovation ecosystem so that  developing countries benefit equally from the AI development, and promote the implementation of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

In Africa, AI is becoming a new frontier of China-Africa cooperation, helping facilitate Africa's modernization through digital infrastructure development and talent training. Through initiatives like the Digital Silk Road, China's cooperation with African countries in digital technology has yielded significant results. The Chinese side is ready to work closely with the Namibian side to promote bilateral digital cooperation.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Like all of you, I hope to see more such projects as Youth Coding Initiative implemented in Namibia. UNESCO together with CODEMAO and OPPO, has set a good example in this regard. I believe more stakeholders will join this meaningful cause.

Thank you.