Africa-Press – Tanzania. State Minister in the President’s Office – Planning and Investment, Professor Kitila Mkumbo, participated in an investment and business forum held today, March 18, 2026, in Nantong City, China, which brought together over 200 investors and businesspeople, particularly from the textile manufacturing sector.
The forum aimed to promote investment in strategic sectors and to follow up on commitments made by Chinese President Xi Jinping during the 2024 FOCAC meeting, where he pledged 5bn US dollars to support the implementation of ten areas of cooperation between China and African countries, including investment promotion.
Professor Mkumbo’s visit to China is intended to attract investors to Tanzania in strategic sectors such as textile manufacturing, agriculture, general manufacturing, fisheries and livestock, mineral processing, and tourism. At the start of the visit, he toured Nantong City, one of China’s leading textile production hubs, which accounts for an estimated 60 percent of the country’s textile output.
Speaking at the forum, Prof. Mkumbo said the purpose of the visit was to engage directly with investors to attract them to invest in Tanzania, in line with the Government’s plan to establish and develop large-scale textile industries in the Mara, Shinyanga, and Simiyu regions.
Several investors attending the forum expressed interest and readiness to invest in Tanzania, citing the country’s favorable investment environment and the peace and stability that prevail. Among the participants were Xue Yingying from Nantong Hengxing Machinery, Michael Feng from SINO Africa Coal Group, and Dr. Lisa Wangu, Chairperson of East African Investors in the business and planning sector.
As part of the visit, Prof. Mkumbo also met with the Mayor of Nantong City, Mr. Zhang Tong, where they discussed various opportunities for economic cooperation between Tanzania and China.
