Africa-Press – Tanzania. TANZANIA will reap considerable economic benefits from China after establishing its Consulate General in Guangzhou, according to analysts.
The new Consulate General of Tanzania in one of China’s largest cities will help the East African country to boost trade and business and promote her tourist attractions in Asia.
Speaking to the ‘Daily News’ in a telephone interview, economic and political pundits commended the government’s move, arguing the country is bound to benefit more economically with the likelihood of increased trade volume.
An economist-cum-banker, Dr Hildebrand Shayo, said that Guangzhou is a strategic global trade centre and many industries are located in the city, therefore, Tanzanian traders and others using the Dar es Salaam and Mtwara ports will easily process their cargo documents.
Similarly, many Tanzanians and traders visiting the Chinese city will easily resolve any issues without travelling a long distance to reach the Embassy in Beijing.
Dr Shayo also revealed that Guangzhou serves as a key help desk and one stop centre for investment information globally, noting that Tanzania can take advantage of the opportunity to avail its official data through its consulate.
He added: “the consulate should carry out its operations with an open mind for doing business and its staff should be quite versatile to issue all the needed information at any time without delays.”
Dr Shayo further noted that information on key priority sectors should be readily available at their fingertips citing an example of the Royal Tour, strategic projects and many other areas of investments.
For his part, A Professor of Economics and Director of the Centre for Chinese Studies at the University of Dar es Salaam, Prof Humphrey Moshi, was of the view that China is the second largest economy after the United States of America, therefore many African countries including Tanzania trade with China.
“Many Tanzanians and traders from African countries go to Guangzhou because everything from textiles, electronics can be obtained there…a person can place an order and get it within a day depending on the requirement,” noted Prof Moshi.
He indicated that the opening of the consulate was another commendable initiative by President Samia to open up the country, thereby creating room for boosting the economy, transferring of technology and strengthening the shilling against the dollar.
The move is among other things expected to reduce poverty and act as a catalyst to realise the country’s ambitious goal of industrialisation.
Pro Moshi suggested that the move will contribute to enabling Tanzanian products to enter the global market, stressing that adequate preparedness was a key.
“Adequate preparedness implies that all the necessary infrastructures, public health networks and network connectivity should be strengthened to attract more businesses and investments in the country,” he said.
Another analyst, Mr Goodluck Ng’ingo, revealed that Tanzania’s foreign policy focuses mainly on promotion of economic diplomacy, it’s therefore critical to create the proper instruments which will smoothly support the endeavour.
“Creating necessary infrastructures to ease business and transfer of capital as well as investment requires diplomatic services,” stated Mr Ng’ingo, making a call for accurate information.
By doing so, he said the government was extending the scope and environment for the private sector and investment in the country.
He said the Royal Tour is anticipated to increase the number of tourists from China as more visa processing and other services will easily be accessed.
On May 20, this year Tanzania opened a consulate in Guangzhou of Guangdong Province, which is the largest among China provinces.
Speaking virtually from Beijing recently, Tanzania Ambassador to China, Mbelwa Kairuki, said more business opportunities are up there for the grab.
“The province’s gross domestic product (GDP) is approximately 1.7 trillion US dollars, similar to that in some countries in the G20,” said Ambassador Kairuki.
“Many traders from Tanzania flock in the city to buy various goods, therefore the government decided to open the consulate to make it easy for them to travel for three hours by flight and eight hours by speedy trains to secure diplomatic services,” he said
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