Tour of Chinese Foreign Minister cements Tanzania-China ties  

DAR ES SALAAM: TANZANIA and China have maintained their long existing diplomatic, economic and cultural ties, the tour of a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China, Mr Wang Yi, to Tanzania is clear indiction.

The Chinese foreign minister arrived in Dar es Salaam today, January 9, 2026, for a two-day working visit that will last until January 10, 2026.

The visit aims to further strengthen relations and strategic cooperation between Tanzania and China and also seeks to enhance cooperation by deepening economic relations and exploring new opportunities for collaboration in areas of mutual interest.

Speaking with journalists in Dar eseSalaam Friday the Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Ambassador Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, said that the visit of the Mr Wang Yi after the elections is a clear sign of how close China is to Tanzania, and how close Tanzania is to China.

“It is a very important milestone. Among the African countries you are visiting, you chose to place Tanzania high on your priority list, and we highly value that decision,” said Amb Kombo.

Mr Kombo said that Tanzania is convey sincere appreciation to the People’s Republic of China, for the enormous and sustained support extended to Tanzania in the implementation of our national development agenda.

Mr Wang Yi will also meet the President Dr Samia Suluhu Hassan, at State House in Dar es Salaam, today where he will deliver special greetings from the President of China, His Excellency Xi Jinping.

Tanzania and China have been cooperating in various areas, including trade and investment. In 2024, the value of trade between Tanzania and China reached approximately USD 5.2 bn/-.

Chinese companies have continued to invest in Tanzania across sectors such as manufacturing, agriculture, services, transport, communications and tourism. In 2025, the Tanzania Investment and Special Economic Zones Authority (TISEZA) registered 343 Chinese projects worth USD 3.1 bn/-, creating 82,404 jobs.

The two countries have also cooperated in transport infrastructure, with the TAZARA Railway standing as one of the key symbols of friendship and cooperation between Tanzania and China.

The railway stretches for 1,860 kilometres, of which 975 kilometres are in Tanzania and 885 kilometres are in Zambia, and remains a historic symbol of the close relationship built on unity, solidarity and brotherhood between Tanzania and China.

Moreover, this visit reflects the long-standing historical relationship between Tanzania and China, founded on mutual trust and respect and sustained for more than six decades. The foundation of this cooperation was laid by the founders of the two nations, the late Mwalimu Julius Kambarage Nyerere and the late Chairman Mao Zedong, and continues to be upheld in practice by the leaders of both countries.