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Tanzania: a good partner for China in Africa

By Ding Ying: 0 Comment(s)Print E-mail Beijing Review, September 29, 2011

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Ding Ying (L) talks with Chinese ambassador to Tanzania. [Maverick Chen / China.org.cn]

Adjacent to the Indian Ocean, Tanzania is a beautiful Eastern African country. In 1964, when its united republic government was established, Tanzania signed a diplomatic relationship with China. Over the decades, the two countries have maintained friendly relations. Since the 1960s, China has been granting assistance to Tanzania over the course of many projects, such as the 1976 Tanzania-Zambia Railway (the Tanzara) and the more recent Tanzania National Stadium. In 2010, trade volume between the two countries reached $1.64 billion, and China became Tanzania's second largest partner.

Liu Xinsheng, Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania, sat down with Beijing Review on August 17, 2011.

Beijing Review: What do you think of the relationship between China and Africa?

Liu Xinsheng: In plain terms, the Sino-African relationship has developed through history. During 1950s to the 1970s, China and Africa found common ground behind Western blockades, both economically and politically, which urged China and Africa to move closer to each other. The new period began in 2000 when the first Forum on China-Africa Cooperation kicked off in Beijing. Since then, Sino-African ties have seen rapid growth. Trade volume between China and Africa continues rising, up to $126.7 billion in 2010 from just $10 billion in 2000. China has consistently been Africa's largest trade partner. In 2012, the Fifth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation will be held in China and push the China-Africa relationship to new levels in terms of politics, economics, and culture.

Beijing Review: How about Tanzania specifically?

Tanzania is known for stable politics, a smoothly growing economy, and a peaceful society. Since its founding in 1964, the United Republic of Tanzania has seen little political conflict and has been free from chaos. The country began using a multi-party system in 1992. Chama Cha Mapinduzi has remained the governing party after four national elections. In the long term, I see little possibility of Tanzania falling into severe political unrest, so I see the Sino-Tanzanian relationship on a stable track into the future.

Over the last decade, Tanzania maintained an annual economic growth rate of 6 percent even during the global financial crisis. Benefiting from its geographic location, the country plays an important role in the Eastern African region. It is home to the headquarters of the East African Community. Its capital, Dar es Salaam, serves as a major access point to the Indian Ocean for inland countries such as Zambia, Malawi, Uganda, and Burundi. However, its infrastructure such as highways and communications have been developing relatively slowly. According to the country's financial budget, nearly 40 percent of its economic development depends on foreign aid. In general, Tanzania is a good partner for China in Africa, both economically and culturally.

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