China becomes Dar’s biggest trading partner for 8th year

11Mar 2024
Mary Kadoke
DAR ES SALAAM
News
The Guardian
China becomes Dar’s biggest trading partner for 8th year

TRADE volume between Tanzania and China for the year 2023 hit $8.78 billion, up by 5.7 percent annually hence making China Tanzania’s largest trading partner and source of investment for eight consecutive years.

Prof James Mdoe (L), Education, Science and Technology ministry’s deputy permanent secretary, has a quick word with China’s Ambassador to Tanzania, Chen Mingjian, at the China-Africa Think Tank Forum held in Dar es Salaam at the weekend. Photo: Correspondent Mary Kadoke

 

Chen Mingjian, Chinese ambassador to Tanzania, gave the figures in Dar es Salaam at the weekend during the 13th China-Africa Think Tank Forum.

 

She said China -Tanzania cooperation has long been leading when it comes to China-Africa cooperation, with China achieving fruitful results from the investment in Tanzania as it has always been a participant, enabler and beneficiary of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

“As China-Africa relations continue to flourish. I see enormous opportunity and great prospects for collaboration between Chinese and African think tanks. We hope and believe that this forum will be a continuing success.”

 

The envoy said during the visit to Tanzania in 2013, President Xi Jinping proposed the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith for China’s Africa policy and solemnly announced that China and Africa always stand together as a community with a shared future.

 

Since then, the two countries’ cooperation is still in a good status especially after President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s visit to China in 2022 where she met President Xi and the two leaders agreed to upgrade bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

 

In August last year, President Samia met President Xi on the sidelines of the Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa (BRICS) Summit in Johannesburg where they shared their readiness to take the opportunity of jointly celebrating the 60th anniversary to continuously work with Tanzania in supporting each other's core interests and major concerns and deepening strategic cooperation.

 

Prof James Mdoe, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology who opened the one-day event, said more than 200 Tanzanians benefit from Chinese scholarships granted yearly.

 

He said the scholarship and vocational training in the country is the fulfilment of what President Xi underscored during the opening ceremony of the eighth Ministerial Conference of FOCAC in November 2021 on how his government will implement ‘Future of Africa’- a project for China-Africa cooperation for vocational education and encourage Chinese companies in Africa to create at least 800,000 jobs.

 

“The scholarships and vocational training opportunities are offered through the Confucius Institute, Luban Workshop and technical assistance. China has also helped build two China-Africa friendship primary schools in Tanzania, a vocational training centre in Kagera Region and a modern library at the University of Dar es Salaam which is one of the largest and best-equipped in Africa,” he said.

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