CHINA has expressed its commitment to take the bilateral ties and economic partnership with Tanzania to new heights.
This was said on Monday in Dar es Salaam by Deputy Minister of International Development of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, Mr Li Mingxiang, when briefing the 20th National Congress of the CPC high-level cadres of the ruling CCM.
Mr Li said China stands ready to import specialty products from Tanzania, support Chinese enterprises in investing and operating in the East African country and provide assistance within its capacities to contribute to the country’s economic and social development.
The Deputy Minister also highlighted some areas of cooperation between the two countries including exchanging programmes, youth and women empowerment and agriculture sector.
“China would like to provide scholarships for more Tanzanian students to study in China and conduct exchanges and mutual learning of State and party governance experience, enhance our cooperation in poverty reduction, agriculture, women and children affairs, and youth exchanges so as to improve people’s livelihood,” he added.
Moreover, he said China has always viewed its relations with Tanzania from a strategic perspective and will always be a trustworthy friend of Tanzania, adding that his country always regard Tanzania as a diplomatic priority in its ties with Africa.
In a related development, he said in 2022, bilateral trade reached 8.31 billion US dollars, an increase of 23.7 per cent year to year despite headwinds adding China continues to be the largest trading partner to Tanzania.
“China’s direct stock investment in Tanzania reached 1.83 billion US dollars and the 98 per cent of the tax items exported to China from Tanzania enjoy zero tariffs and the fresh Tanzanian avocado are also accessible to ordinary Chinese people,” he added.
For his part, CCM Vice -Chairman, Mr Abdulrahman Kinana said CCM and CPC have a historical relationship that has existed for more than 60 years, adding that such strong relations were inspired by the founders of both two nations– Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and Chairman Mao Zedong.
“There is a lot of examples on our friendship where under the leadership of Mwalimu Nyerere, Tanzania was at the forefront of the fight to have the People’s Republic of China restored to its seat in the United Nations…Finally in 1971, the 26th meeting of the United Nations General Assembly passed resolution 2758, restoring the seat to China,” Mr Kinana pointed out.
The CCM Vice-Chairman also said China and Tanzania enjoy profound traditional friendship which has withstood tests of evolving international landscape.
“During President Xi Jinping’s very first trip to Africa in 2013 after assuming office as president of China, Tanzania was his first stopover and at the end of last year, President Samia Suluhu Hassan, as the first African Head of State, paid a state visit to China upon invitation from President Xi, where they announced the elevation of bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership,” CCM Vice-Chairman said.
During the visit, President Samia and her Chinese counterpart, Xi announced the elevation of the two countries’ comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, to promote bilateral ties onto a healthy and stable development path.
The two presidents spoke highly of the traditional friendship between the two countries and noted with satisfaction the fruitful outcomes of China-Tanzania relations and their friendly cooperation in the past 58 years, since the establishment of diplomatic relations.
During their meeting, the two Heads of State also agreed to continue elevating their two-way trade and further expand the trade volume, said a joint statement issued by the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“The Chinese side agreed to provide duty-free treatment of 98 per cent tariff lines goods originating from Tanzania exported to China and will actively explore the possibility of providing market access to more Tanzanian products,” the statement reads in part.
They pledged to continue supporting each other on issues involving sovereignty, territorial integrity and other core interests. The Tanzanian side reaffirmed its firm commitment to the one-China principle.
