TANZANIA: CHINA will continue to carry forward the spirit of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway (TAZARA) and strengthen ties with Tanzania, Zambia and the broader African community.
Making the remarks during the memorial ceremony of Chinese experts (the Qingming festival) in Dar es Salaam recently, Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania, Chen Mingjian, further said that the act stands as a display of solidarity and friendship between Dar es Salaam and Beijing as envisioned by Tanzania’s Founding Father of the Nation, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and Chinese leaders- the late Chairman Mao Tse Tung, Premier Zhou Enlai and Mao Zedong among others.
Ambassador Mingjian emphasised the importance of honouring the origin and legacy of their partnership, where both countries are committed to working together in a pioneering manner to foster even closer relationships.
“Today, all staff of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China and the representatives of Chinese companies and communities, along with representatives from the Tanzanian government and people, are gathering here to deeply cherish the Chinese heroes who laid down their lives here to help build the TAZARA Railway and other China-Tanzania cooperation projects, and to pay our high tribute and endless sorrow, which shows our determination to inherit the legacy of the martyrs, carry forward the TAZARA spirit, and create an even better future for China and Tanzania,” she pointed out.
According to her, the roots of this enduring friendship can be traced back to the TAZARA project, a monumental undertaking that symbolised unity and cooperation between China, Tanzania, and Zambia. As a tribute to the martyrs who sacrificed their lives in support of Tanzania’s development, both countries vow to ensure that their contributions are never forgotten. She said, with a shared vision for the future, China and Tanzania are dedicated to building a lasting bond that transcends borders and benefits not only to their own nations but the entire African continent.
By staying true to the principles of mutual respect and cooperation, they aim to create a community with a shared destiny and a bright future.
“As the spirit of TAZARA continues to inspire present-day partnerships, the friendship between China and Tanzania, as well as China and Africa, remains steadfast and unwavering. Through mutual trust, collaboration, and a commitment to progress, both nations are poised to write a new chapter of cooperation and friendship that will endure for generations to come,” she noted.
Reinforcing on that, Charge d’ Affaires of the Chinese Embassy to Tanzania Suo Peng, during the commemoration of 65 Chinese experts who died while constructing the Tazara railway line in 1970s, he noted that China was ready to work on all recommendations and proposals from Tanzania and Zambia regarding the rehabilitation of the railway line to the current and future demands.
“Everybody well understands the importance of this railway line, it links two countries, Tanzania and Zambia, in terms of facilitating the movement of people and goods, it is also a symbol of unity and friendship between our three countries,” he said.
Mr Suo further said that apart from working on the Tazara railway, China would continue to work with Tanzania on various areas of cooperation including trade and investment.
According to him, China- Tanzania cooperation has achieved fruitful results, saying the bilateral ties have become a model of South South cooperation.
“China has been Tanzania’s largest trading partner and the source of foreign investment for several consecutive years,” he said.
On the side of Tanzania government, the Minister for Transport Professor Makame Mbarawa, expressed heartfelt condolences to the Chinese government and the families of the fallen heroes, who lost their lives in the 1970s during the construction of the railway, famously known as the “Independent Railway.”
“We are very grateful for the dozens of Chinese experts who sacrificed their precious lives during the construction; the people of Tanzania will never forget their contribution to the economic development of this region,” he said.
He added that Tanzania, Zambia, and China built the railway to support landlocked Zambia’s economic dependence on southern ports, and today we see a new dimension where TAZARA can link the entire Southern Africa Region to the Eastern Africa Dar es Salaam Port.
According to him, built between 1970 and 1975 with Chinese assistance, TAZARA was once the longest railway in sub-Saharan Africa and a vital link for trade from Zambia’s Copper belt region.
Elaborating, he said, today, the railway has the potential to become a key trade route within the Africa Continental Free Trade Area, connecting Southern Africa to the Eastern African port of Dar es Salaam. Furthermore, it was noted that, facing operational challenges and under-recapitalisation in recent years, TAZARA has seen a decline in freight traffic.
However, a ray of hope shines through as discussions with the Chinese government and the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC) are underway for a major upgrade of the railway to standard gauge, along with a proposed concession to operate the line at a cost of $1 billion.
“With a vision to revitalise TAZARA and enhance its role in regional connectivity and economic development, stakeholders are hopeful that this transformative project will breathe new life into this historic railway, ensuring its legacy as a symbol of enduring friendship and cooperation between nations,” he pointed out.
Looked at keenly and worth imitation is China’s remarkable journey is a testament of resilience, determination, vision, leadership, and hard work coupled with an unwavering commitment to development and progress.
To the Chinese people, and it is a source of inspiration for all of us. It serves as a powerful reminder of what can be accomplished by countries when we work together towards a common goal.
For instance, the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the Government have led China’s path to modernisation, achieving rapid economic growth as well as long-term social stability. Taking another lead, “Tanzania and China are ‘all-weather friends’”, showing how the countries have stood side by side over the years.
Our friendship and partnership is built on the solid foundation and friendship that generations to come should attach much weight on.
Again looked at keenly, our bilateral relations have grown from strength to strength over the years, encompassing various areas such as agriculture, health, education, defence, trade, investment, culture, and people-to-people exchanges, infrastructure and more arguably symbolise solidarity between African nations and China.
Over the years, this cooperation has made China to emerge as one of Tanzania’s largest trading partners and foreign investors, thus contributing immensely to the socio-economic development of our countries.
As we look to the future, we are confident that our bilateral relations will continue to flourish and deepen.
We will continue forging strategic partnership, deepen and expanding our relations and partnership far and wide on all fronts; enhance the friendship and trust between our two peoples; work together to promote regional and global peace, stability, and prosperity; and we will continue to learn from each other’s experiences and expertise to ensure our bilateral cooperation in all fields at all levels records great headway.
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