WINDHOEK, Sept. 16 -- Sam Nujoma, who served as the first president of Namibia, said China is an all-weather friend of the Namibia and Africa.

Nujoma said he would like to take the special occasion of the forthcoming 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China (PRC) to express good wishes to the country.

The PRC is an old friend of the Namibian people and the friendship was forged during the course of liberation before the African country won its independence in 1990, Nujoma said in a recent interview with Xinhua.

The Communist Party of China led a successful revolution and founded a new China, which became a tremendous inspiration to the Namibian people, he added.

After its independence, China was one of the countries that supported the Republic of Namibia economically, for example by building roads and harbors like the Port of Walvis Bay which serves the Southern African Development Community (SADC) countries, he said, adding that all the goods destined for Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia and beyond are passing through the port.

Today China is one of the fastest-developing economies in the world, and the friendship between China and Namibia is growing on the economic front, Nujoma said.

He specifically extended gratitude to China for bringing technological know-how to the people of Namibia and supporting the southern African country's development.

"As I have said, the Port of Walvis Bay is under construction and it will be completed probably this year. It is being built by the Chinese people," Nujoma said.

"Such economic assistance from the People's Republic of China made us feel stronger," Nujoma said.

He hoped that the economic cooperation between China and Africa would be strengthened with the clear purpose of eradicating poverty, disease and illiteracy from the African continent.

As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, China spearheaded all resolutions aimed at supporting Africa, he said.

"China is also planning to land on the Moon ... so we'd better learn from the PRC," he added.