Your Honorable Patrobas Katambi, Deputy Minister of State of Prime Minister’s Office, Labour, Youth, Employment and Persons with Disability,
Your Honorable Amb. Amina Salum, Deputy Chairperson of CIP Africa Board,
Your Honorable Amb. Omar Mjenga, President & CEO of CIP Africa,
Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends,
It is my great pleasure to join you in the Seminar on Chinese Modernization and China-Africa Cooperation. On behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China to the United Republic of Tanzania, let me begin by expressing warm congratulations on the opening of the Seminar and a sincere welcome to all the participants.
This year is a big year for China-Tanzania relations. Both sides have witnessed a series of events in celebration of the 60th anniversary of China-Tanzania diplomatic ties throughout the year and Her Excellency President Samia Suluhu Hassan attending the 2024 FOCAC Beijing Summit. In term of bilateral political relations, China and Tanzania are long-standing friends. China’s Africa policy - sincerity, real results, amity and good faith - was first proposed here in the new era. Our bilateral relations have been elevated to Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership in 2022. In terms of bilateral practical cooperation, China is the largest trading partner, largest source country of investment and largest contractor of Tanzania. High-quality agricultural products from Tanzania, such as cashew nuts, avocados and honey, have been brought into Chinese market. Sapphire Float Glass and Maweni Cement Factory, the investment from China, are well operating. Magufuli Bridge, constructed by Chinese enterprises, together with other major projects are well underway. In terms of people-to-people exchanges, China-Tanzania Tourism and Culture Year came to a closure in Tanzania recently. Chinese visitors to Tanzania in the first 9 months is more than 54 thousand, surpassing 44 thousand last year. Welcome to Milele, a Chinese TV show recorded mainly in Tanzania, aired via Azam TV this year, arousing public attentions of Tanzanian friends.
This year is also a big year for China-Africa Cooperation. The FOCAC Summit rounded off in September. I was honored to accompany President Samia Suluhu Hassan to attend. The 2024 FOCAC Beijing Summit is the largest diplomatic event China has hosted in recent years, with the highest attendance of foreign leaders. President Xi Jinping announced ten partnership actions, and reached a series of important consensus with African leaders. Africa now holds a unique and prominent position as the one and only continent to share an all-weather community of shared future with China, which not only demonstrates the solid foundation, high starting point and bright prospect of the big China-Africa family, but also injects vitality into China-Africa development and enhances confidence of the resolve of Global South to seek strength through unity.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends,
Not long ago, China celebrated the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Over the past 75 years, China has embarked on an unprecedented Chinese modernization and made great achievements in political, economic, social and cultural development. China’s GDP leaped from 376.9 billion RMB in 1978 to 126 trillion RMB in 2023, which is equivalent to 17.8 trillion US dollars, becoming the world’s second largest economy. Since 2012, China has become a major trading partner of more than 140 countries and regions. Its manufacturing sector, foreign exchange reserves and trade in goods has ranked the largest in the world, contributing about 38.6% of world economic growth annually on average. Over 800 million people have been lifted out of poverty and over 400 million people have moved into the middle-income group, contributing over 70% to the world’s poverty reduction and creating a miracle in the history of poverty alleviation. Within several decades, China has realized the industrialization which had taken developed countries several centuries, marking a milestone in human’s modern history.
The key to China’s successful experience is that China does not replicate nor blindly follow any model of other countries, but independently explores modernization with its own characteristics. China’s successful experience has shown that no modernization model should be regarded as the only model, nor is there a single standard for modernization that fits all. The theory and practice of Chinese modernization offer a viable alternate for countries and nations who seek to develop rapidly and independently and give inspiration, hope, and confidence to other developing countries as they explore a path to modernization suitable to their national conditions.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends,
Chinese modernization will contribute robustly to world peace and stability. The philosophy of Ubuntu of Africa, which believes that “I am because we are”, highlights the interdependence and interconnectedness of all peoples. Similarly, the Chinese culture values peace, and the Chinese nation has no tradition of external expansion. China and Africa, once victims of foreign power bullying, know full well the value of peace and the hard-won gains of development. In fact, China is the only major country that has written peaceful development into its constitution, and the only country among the five nuclear-weapon states to pledge no-first-use of nuclear weapons. We are actively exploring and putting into practice the Chinese way of addressing hotspot issues, boosting the prospects for resolving the security dilemma and improving security governance, and paving the ground for conflict settlement and peacebuilding. Every step in China’s development is an increase in the force for peace.
Chinese modernization will contribute robustly to development opportunities for all. China doesn’t only care about its own development. We are ready to develop hand in hand with all countries, especially Tanzania. The third plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was successfully held in July and put forward over 300 reform measures, resulting in thousands of specific reform plans, sending a strong message that China will expand high-standard opening up and share in the high-quality development outcomes. Such as, China unilaterally opens the door wider to some countries including Tanzania, with zero-tariffs treatment for 100% tariff lines. President Mwinyi visited China for the 7th China International Import Expo last month. And China welcomed Tanzania to be a guest of honor country at CIIE for 2 consecutive years, advertising its rich products to the Chinese market. A Tanzanian entrepreneur told me, his total sales in CIIE is more than the total sales in the previous year. I also want to point out that, China promotes the revitalization of TAZARA Railway, strengthens facilities connectivity, works closely with the Tanzanian side on its concerns over digital economy, green economy and blue economy to achieve industrialization and agricultural modernization at an early date.
Chinese modernization will contribute robustly to improving global governance. China has been a supporter of reform and development of the U.N. and other multilateral agencies, appealing them to respond to the legitimate calls of developing countries and increase the representation and voice of those in the Global South. President Samia delivered remarks on behalf of the East Africa at the opening ceremony of the 2024 FOCAC Beijing Summit, held meeting with President Xi Jinping. The two leaders agreed to elevate the conceptual values and leading role of our bilateral relations to set a stellar case in South-South cooperation.
Ladies and Gentlemen, Dear Friends,
As President Xi put it, long as the journey is, we will reach our destination if we stay the course; difficult as the task is, we will get the job done if we keep working at it. Both China and Africa aspire for a better life, agree on the importance of solidarity and cooperation, and seek to realize modernization. No matter how the international landscape may evolve, China and Tanzania will remain fellow passengers and good partners on the road to modernization. The year 2025 marks the 25th anniversary of the launch of FOCAC and the 50th anniversary of the completion of TAZARA Railway. The Chinese side stands ready to work with the Tanzanian side to advocate the common values of humanity, jointly contribute to global modernization and the common development of mankind, and build a even closer China-Tanzania, China-Africa community with a shared future!
Asanteni sana!