Tanzania: 'China, True Friend Indeed'

By Katare Mbashiru

SIGNING of a crucial contract for the construction of the 1.32 billion US Dollars (about 3.06tri/)

Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Mwanza to Isaka heralds the visit of China high profile delegation, led by State Councillor and Foreign Minister, Wang Yi.and his entourage are jetting into the country today, whereas among other activities, he will witness the signing of the crucial contract, further boosting Tanzania's infrastructure development initiatives.

Briefing journalists here on the much-awaited two-day visit to the country, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Prof Palamagamba Kabudi said the Chinese Foreign Minister will have a series of activities during his short stay in the country.

Upon arrival, Mr Wang will have a courtesy call with President John Magufuli and later hold official talks between him in the company of his delegation and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation led by Prof Kabudi.

The Chinese minister will later proceed to launch the Chato District Vocational Training College and the conference hall of the college, which has been named after him (Wang Conference Hall) in honour of his official visit to the country.

"We have honoured him with this recognition because China is currently constructing a similar college in Kagera Region and as part of the implementation of Forum on China- Africa cooperation (FOCAC) agreement as it was requested by African leaders," he noted.

Tomorrow, the minister added, Mr Wang is expected to visit the Chato ferry, to witness fishing activities in the area, where he will receive snippets on the country's fishing business. Later in the day, the Chinese State Counsellor will witness the signing of the contract for the construction of 341km Mwanza- Isaka SGR.

Already, according to Prof Kabudi, two Chinese companies have won that tender to undertake the crucial project. They are China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) and China Railway Construction Limited (CRC).

"The visit by the Chinese Foreign Minister demonstrates the unbreakable long term traditional friendship between the two brotherly countries, which was established by the founding fathers of the two nations, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and Mao Tse-tung," said Prof Kabudi.

Apart from Tanzania, Mr Wang is paying official visits to five African countries this week, including Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Botswana, and Seychelles. He began his marathon visits on January 4.

For 30 years in a row since 1991, Chinese Foreign Ministers have chosen Africa as their first New Year visit destination, as a continuation of the fine tradition, which speaks volumes about the great importance China has always attached to China-Africa relations.

2021 will Mark the final year of the implementation of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Summit. Since he began his visits Mr Wang has been pushing for implementation of the important consensus reached by the Chinese and African leaders before the second FOCAC meeting scheduled to take place later this year in Senegal.

According to China Ambassador to Tanzania, Ms Wang Ke, the China delegation, will have in-depth discussion with President Magufuli on international and regional issues of common interest, reports ABDUEL ELINAZA. The delegation will also talk on post Covid-19 economic recovery and cooperation in fighting the pandemic.

Ambassador Wang said the Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister's visit to Africa is a tour of solidarity, cooperation and friendship and new steps to build an even closer China-Africa community with a shared future.

"I believe his visit will take China-Africa traditional friendship to a new height," Ms Wang said.

This visit comes after just two weeks, when President Xi Jinping had important telephone conversation with his counterpart Dr Magufuli. "During the phone talk, President Xi Jinping pointed out that the traditional friendship between China and Tanzania was forged by the older generation of leaders of the two countries," Ms Wang said.

China always views and develops its relationship with Tanzania from a strategic and long-term perspective.

"No matter how the international and regional situation changes, China will always be a reliable friend and comrade of Tanzania," the ambassador said. Also, the Foreign Minister will have in-depth communication on implementing the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and the Extraordinary Summit on China-Africa Solidarity against Covid-19.

The pandemic changed the arrival of Chinese tourists last year and backpedalled efforts put on foot to attract the visitors from China. The efforts pushed the number of tourists to Mainland Tanzania from 25,444 in 2015 to 33,541 in 2019. In Zanzibar, in 2016 to 2020 a total of 30,109 tourists were received from China.