BERNARD LUGONGO
PRESIDENT
John Magufuli has appealed to China to expand broaden its markets for
products from Africa, saying time was ripe for the two partners to raise
their relationship to a higher level, focused, especially, on the
continent’s economic liberation.
He pointed out that, given China’s huge population estimated at 1.4 billion, the more African products would penetrate the country’s market, the faster Africa’s economic liberation goal would be.
“We (African countries) need an expanded Chinese market for our products such as coffee, team as well as the tourism sector; if each Chinese citizen were to drink a cup of coffee from Africa, we would have a big market,” Dr Magufuli explained yesterday, when officially opening the Communist Party of China (CPC) with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting Africa Thematic event in Dar es Salaam.
This is the first time for such meeting to be held outside China, and Africa has been chosen as the venue for the event which is hosted by Tanzania’s ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM).
Dr Magufuli emphasized that Africa-China relations should be strengthened now that China was the world’s economic superpower and had embarked on implementing the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) or the Silk Road Economic Belt.
This is a development strategy proposed by the Chinese government which focuses on connectivity and cooperation between Eurasian countries, primarily the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the land-based Silk Road Economic Belt (SREB) and the ocean-going Maritime Silk Road (MSR). It intends to enhance regional connectivity and embrace a brighter future.
Africa is now in the struggle for economic freedom, with President Magufuli giving an assurance that Tanzania was ready to lead the struggle.
On China’s contribution to Africa’s political independence struggle, he said the country gave much moral and material support such as weapons, and training for freedom fighters.
The relationship between China and African countries grew further after independence. This has resulted into the introduction of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
The two-day meeting in Dar es Salaam between the CPC and African political parties comes a few days before the FOCAC meeting slated for next September.
“It’s my hope that the issues discussed and agreed on during this meeting will be implemented by our political parties for the development of our countries,” President Magufuli told the audience.
He hinted on Tanzania’s plan to become a middle-income country by 2025, noting that the government had already submitted its strategic plans achieving the goal to development partners, calling on more support from China. Mr Song Tao, the Minister of International Department of Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, remarked that China recorded great achievements in pulling its people out of poverty, the target being 10,000 per year.
Mr Song told the African leaders to respect humanity and strengthen their parties through producing good leaders, pledging that China would train at least 4,000 cadres from political parties in the African continent.
He said over the past 40 years, the Chinese had gained tremendous economic prosperity, and had now opened its doors to other countries in the spirit of a participatory economy.
“We want our friends to also adopt our ways of development,” he said. CCM’s Secretary General, Dr Bashiru Ally, reiterated that the party believed in equal rights for all and Africa was one.
As such, he elaborated, the meeting would reflect on the thoughts of founders of specific nations in the continent.
He pointed out that, given China’s huge population estimated at 1.4 billion, the more African products would penetrate the country’s market, the faster Africa’s economic liberation goal would be.
“We (African countries) need an expanded Chinese market for our products such as coffee, team as well as the tourism sector; if each Chinese citizen were to drink a cup of coffee from Africa, we would have a big market,” Dr Magufuli explained yesterday, when officially opening the Communist Party of China (CPC) with World Political Parties High-Level Meeting Africa Thematic event in Dar es Salaam.
This is the first time for such meeting to be held outside China, and Africa has been chosen as the venue for the event which is hosted by Tanzania’s ruling party, Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM).
Dr Magufuli emphasized that Africa-China relations should be strengthened now that China was the world’s economic superpower and had embarked on implementing the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) or the Silk Road Economic Belt.
This is a development strategy proposed by the Chinese government which focuses on connectivity and cooperation between Eurasian countries, primarily the People’s Republic of China (PRC), the land-based Silk Road Economic Belt (SREB) and the ocean-going Maritime Silk Road (MSR). It intends to enhance regional connectivity and embrace a brighter future.
Africa is now in the struggle for economic freedom, with President Magufuli giving an assurance that Tanzania was ready to lead the struggle.
On China’s contribution to Africa’s political independence struggle, he said the country gave much moral and material support such as weapons, and training for freedom fighters.
The relationship between China and African countries grew further after independence. This has resulted into the introduction of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
The two-day meeting in Dar es Salaam between the CPC and African political parties comes a few days before the FOCAC meeting slated for next September.
“It’s my hope that the issues discussed and agreed on during this meeting will be implemented by our political parties for the development of our countries,” President Magufuli told the audience.
He hinted on Tanzania’s plan to become a middle-income country by 2025, noting that the government had already submitted its strategic plans achieving the goal to development partners, calling on more support from China. Mr Song Tao, the Minister of International Department of Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, remarked that China recorded great achievements in pulling its people out of poverty, the target being 10,000 per year.
Mr Song told the African leaders to respect humanity and strengthen their parties through producing good leaders, pledging that China would train at least 4,000 cadres from political parties in the African continent.
He said over the past 40 years, the Chinese had gained tremendous economic prosperity, and had now opened its doors to other countries in the spirit of a participatory economy.
“We want our friends to also adopt our ways of development,” he said. CCM’s Secretary General, Dr Bashiru Ally, reiterated that the party believed in equal rights for all and Africa was one.
As such, he elaborated, the meeting would reflect on the thoughts of founders of specific nations in the continent.
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