Wang lauds JPM on infrastructure zeal

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Wang lauds JPM on infrastructure zeal
Wang lauds JPM on infrastructure zeal

Africa-PressTanzania. CHINA’s State Councillor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi yesterday wound up his twoday visit in Tanzania, lauding
President John Magufuli’s decision to prioritise construction of transport infrastructures, saying that was the right path towards realising speedy development.

“In China we say if you want to get quick development, you should construct transport infrastructures, and this is what we did in our country. And this is what President Magufuli is currently doing, and I believe it will bring development like ours,” Mr Wang stated in his speech yesterday in Chato District.

Since the fifth phase government took power in 2015, construction of transport infrastructures, including roads, bridges and railways was on top of its agenda.

Several highways and roads connecting regions were built, as well as bridges and major flyovers of Mfugale and Ubungo, which have not only decongested the city of Dar es Salaam, but has also given it a new face.

In his main address yesterday, Mr Wang also directed Chinese companies undertaking construction projects in Tanzania to ensure that they do the job while putting interests of Tanzania first.

“I direct the Chinese companies implementing projects in Tanzania to consider the interests of Tanzania,” he instructed.

Earlier, Mr Wang had an opportunity to visit Lake Victoria coastline in Chato, where he met tens of fishermen conducting their activities at the area. The fishermen presented a gift of a big fish (tilapia) to the Chinese foreign minister. “Today you have gifted me a very big fish, I thank you so much, let me take this opportunity to announce that the Chinese Embassy in Tanzania will donate 20,000 US dollars for fishermen in Chato to buy fishing equipment,” he stated. He further noted that the fish market in China was big, and therefore his country needed more fish from Tanzania. “China and Tanzania are big friends; therefore, China will help Tanzanian fishermen to improve their lives,” he emphasised. Commenting, Livestock and Fisheries Minister Mashimba Ndaki said Tanzania has been blessed with abundant marine resources, and at least 4.5 million Tanzanians engage in different activities in fisheries sector value chain. The sector produces an average of 350,000 tonnes of fish annually, 85 per cent of fish products come from small scale fishermen. He said China is one of the biggest markets of fish from Tanzania, noting that Tanzania seeks to open up its fish market in China. Later at a different occasion in the afternoon, Mr Wang stated that regardless of the hurdles Tanzania and China have faced in the past year due to the Covid- 19 outbreak, the two friends have together remained firm in their industrialisation journey. Mr Wang revealed this when responding to a question posed by a Chinese journalist who wanted to know achievements recorded in the 10 years after the establishment of the Forum on China- Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). Mr Wang said much as the country has been hit hard by Covid-19 in the past year, China will not stop helping Africa, including Tanzania, to strengthen its industrial capacity, particularly the establishment of large industries. “China will continue assisting Africa to build capacity for its people in the area of industrialisation and also assist in dealing with different challenges like the Covid- 19 outbreak,” said Mr Wang.

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