H.E. Ambassador Chen Mingjian’s 2026 New Year Message

DAR ES SALAAM: AS the cycle of seasons turns and a new year begins, I would like to take this auspicious opportunity, on behalf of the Chinese Embassy in Tanzania and in my own name, to extend my sincerest greetings and best New Year wishes to all friends from all walks of life who care for and support the cause of China-Tanzania friendship, as well as to all fellow Chinese compatriots, personnel of Chinese institutions, and overseas Chinese students in Tanzania!

In 2025, China forged ahead with a steadfast sense of responsibility amid once-in-a-century transformations, and major-country diplomacy with Chinese characteristics moved forward with great strides.

Chinese President Xi Jinping solemnly proposed Global Governance Initiatives (GGI) to the world, offering Chinese solutions to complex global challenges and demonstrating the historical mission and commitment of a responsible major power.

We solemnly commemorated the 80th anniversary of the Victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, drawing strength for our journey ahead from a history of both hardship and glory to create a brighter future for humanity.

From the charm of ice and snow and the unity of Asian countries displayed at the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin to the Chinese advocacy for gender equality and women’s all-round development at the Global Summit of Women, China continued to bolster global confidence and inject vital stability and certainty into a world undergoing turbulent change.

The year 2025 marks the successful conclusion of China’s 14th Five Year Plan. Despite external headwinds and internal hurdles, China’s national strength soared to a new level.

We stepped up our efforts to build a new development landscape, seen in the global sensation of the DeepSeek AI model and the intelligent robots gracing the Spring Festival Gala.

Our sci-tech independence reached new frontiers, from the “Zhurong” Mars rover mission and “Xihe” solar exploration mission to the formation of the BeiDou global network.

Our focus on pollution prevention and control as well as commitment to a “Beautiful China” accelerated our green and low-carbon transition.

With the successful completion of this five-year cycle and the convening of the Fourth Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee, we laid out the 15th Five-Year Plan Recommendations.

This grand blueprint for the future ensures that the journey of Chinese modernization continues to move forward with renewed vigor.

In 2025, the China-Africa partnership flourished as we steadily implemented the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit.

Through the Ministerial Coordinators’ Meeting and the 4th China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, China and Africa joined hands to advance “six dimensions of modernization” and “ten partnership actions”, achieving outcomes which contains 35 items across 10 categories.

Between January and November, trade between China and Africa hit a historic high, exceeding $300 billion. This marks China’s 16th year as Africa’s top trading partner, with a trade relationship that is more diverse than ever.

Notably, the TAZARA Railway Revitalization Project was officially launched in November. This project carries the profound friendship of China, Tanzania, and Zambia.

By building the TAZARA Prosperity Belt, our three nations are set to unleash the region’s development potential and bring tangible benefits to the people living along the line.

In 2025, the China-Tanzania relationship took deeper root through closer cooperation across all sectors.

Under the strategic guidance of head-of-state diplomacy, our political mutual trust remained rock-solid, and bilateral relations maintained high-level development.

Tanzania has become one of the countries seeing the most effective implementation of the FOCAC Beijing Summit outcomes. Our economic cooperation has undergone a qualitative upgrade.

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China remained Tanzania’s largest trading partner for 10 consecutive years, with bilateral trade volume surpassing $10 billion for the first time.

China granted 100% zero-tariff treatment to products from 53 African countries having diplomatic ties with China, including Tanzania, facilitating the export of high-quality Tanzanian agricultural products such as honey, avocados, and wild aquatic products to China.

Furthermore, Chinese enterprises have been deeply involved in strategic projects like the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), the Julius Nyerere Hydropower Station, and the Magufuli Bridge, supporting Tanzania’s accelerated industrialization. People-to-people exchanges are also flourishing.

The Confucius Institutes at the University of Dar es Salaam and the University of Dodoma, along with the Confucius Classroom at the State University of Zanzibar, serve as windows for Tanzanian youth to understand China.

Chinese language courses are offered in nearly 20 secondary schools and 10 universities in Tanzania, while China has become the preferred destination for Tanzanian students studying abroad, further strengthening the bonds between our two peoples.

The year 2026 marks the start of the 15th Five-Year Plan, the 70th anniversary of China-Africa diplomatic ties, China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, and the 50th anniversary of the operation of TAZARA Railway.

With these opportunities ahead, let us remain united and move forward as one, driving our Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership to new heights and contributing more to the development of our respective countries and a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future. In six weeks, we will celebrate the Chinese Year of the Horse.

In traditional Chinese culture, the horse represents the drive to forge ahead and boundless energy.

May our bilateral friendship gallop ahead with full vigor and remain unshakable! To all our friends, wish you a happy New Year, and a speedy success