Africa-Press – Tanzania. THE Chinese State Councillor and Foreign Minister, Wang Yi will pay an official visit to Tanzania from January 7 – 8, 2021 to bolster ties between the two countries.
Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Prof Palamagamba Kabudi said the Chinese Minister will be received by President John Magufuli in Chato District, Geita Region where they will hold talks.
He said the visit, based on talks between Dr Magufuli and his Chinese counterpart President Xi Jinping, is also in line with China’s 30-year tradition of choosing Africa as the destination of all Chinese foreign ministers’ first overseas visit every year, shows China’s close ties with African countries as well as its firm friendship with Africans.
Noting that the year 2021, marks the last year for the implementation of Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Beijing Action Plan (2019-2021), Prof Kabudi said the visit would deepen coordination and communication with Tanzania to cement the important consensuses and facilitate economic recovery in African countries while fighting the coronavirus.
“The visit would maintain the brotherhood and friendship between the two countries built on trade and investment between our countries in international politics,” Minister Kabudi told reporters in a press conference in Dar es Salaam, on Wednesday.
Prof Kabudi further said that despite the coronavirus pandemic, trade between Tanzania and China has been very successful this year.
For example, the Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries has been holding online meetings with Chinese companies to enable Tanzanian products to be exported to China. Similarly, Tanzania recently agreed to sell its various foodstuffs including soybeans in the Chinese market(s), which is a very large market.
Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania, Wang Ke said the Chinese Minister will also pay visit to Nigeria, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Botswana and Seychelles from January 4 to 9th this year. She further said through the visit the traditional friendship between China and Africa would reach new heights in the post-pandemic era.
She further said the two sides will also be expected to exchange views on a new round of forum during the visit. On December 16th 2020, President Xi Jinping made a historic one-hour call to Dr Magufuli during which, the two leaders discussed a range of issues including forging bilateral ties, especially on the economic fronts.
The two leaders agreed to closely synergise their development strategies, deliver more solid outcomes in their comprehensive cooperative partnership and contribute to the building of the China-Africa community with a shared future.
President Xi congratulated President Magufuli for displaying unwavering commitment in undertaking flagship projects including the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) and the 2,115 MW Nyerere Hydropower Project. Equally, President Xi pledged his country’s support in accomplishing the projects. On his part, President Magufuli expressed his appreciation to President Xi for acknowledging Tanzania’s achievements under his leadership.
He assured President Xi that Tanzania will continue to cement the good relations between the two countries dating 55 years back, when the founding fathers, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and Chairman Mao Zedong initiated the historic ties.
