Tanzania

Note: This column mainly includes countries along the Belt and Road and countries that have signed cooperation agreements with China on Belt and Road Initiative.

In 2013, the friendly and cooperative relations between the People's Republic of China and the United Republic of Tanzania further developed, and their cooperation in various fields yielded new fruits.

The two countries had close high-level exchanges and deepened their political mutual trust. In March, Tanzanian President Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete sent a congratulatory message to Xi Jinping on his election as the Chinese president. In April, President Kikwete sent a message of condolences to President Xi for the earthquake in Lushan, Sichuan Province.

On 24-25 March, President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to Tanzania. During the visit, he had talks with President Kikwete and met respectively with President of Zanzibar Ali Mohamed Shein and former Tanzanian President Benjamin William Mkapa. The two countries agreed to build and grow a comprehensive partnership of mutual benefit and win-win cooperation. They issued a Joint Communique Between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of the United Republic of Tanzania, and signed 15 cooperation documents that cover trade, financial investment, infrastructure and culture. President Xi delivered a speech entitled "Trustworthy Friends and Sincere Partners Forever" at the Julius Nyerere International Conference Center, in which he elaborated on the principles of sincerity, real-results, affinity and good-faith which guide China's policies toward Africa.

From 27 May to 2 June, President Shein of Zanzibar came to China for the second China Beijing International Fair for Trade in Services and Summit Forum, and visited Jiangsu and Fujian provinces. He met with President Xi Jinping and Vice President Li Yuanchao respectively. From 16 to 25 October, Tanzanian Prime Minister Mizengo Kayanza Peter Pinda attended the 14th West China International Fair and visited Beijing and Guangdong Province. He met with Premier Li Keqiang, Vice Premier Wang Yang and NPC Vice Chairperson Yan Junqi respectively.

The two countries maintained close party-to-party and military-tomilitary interactions. Vice Minister Ai Ping of International Department of the CPC Central Committee, Rear Admiral and Director Qian Lihua and Rear Admiral and Deputy Director Hu Changming of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Ministry of National Defense, and the fifteenth escort fleet of the Chinese navy paid visits to Tanzania. Secretary General of Chama Cha Mapinduzi of Tanzania Abdulrahman Kinana and Minister of Defense and National Service Shamsi Vuai Nahodh visited China respectively.

Economic and trade cooperation between the two countries delivered notable results. China became Tanzania's biggest trading partner and second biggest source of foreign investment. The two sides signed an agreement on investment promotion and mutual protection. Construction of the Mtwara to Dar es Salaam Natural Gas Pipeline started. Equipment began to be installed at the Tanzania modern agriculture demonstration park. A number of large projects including the 600-megawatt power station, the Bagamoyo port and its industrial zone were well underway. The Julius Nyerere International Conference Center, which was built with Chinese assistance, was handed over to the Tanzanian side. The solar power project was completed. And the office building project of the Tanzanian Foreign Ministry progressed smoothly.

The two countries conducted vigorous cooperation in people-to-people exchange. Encouraging progress was made in the China Cultural Center project. Two more Confucius Institutes were opened in the University of Dodoma and the University of Dar es Salaam. The second batch of Chinese TV operas in the Swahili language were on air in Tanzania. Delegations from the China Federation of Literary and Art Circles, State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television, and the Chinese-African People's Friendship Association visited Tanzania. The Tanzanian culture minister attended the first Roundtable meeting for Sino-Africa Cultural Industries in China. An exhibition on China's higher education was held in Tanzania.

Source: fmprc.gov.cn