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Interview | China reopens in perfect timing, paving way for great prospects in Sino-African cooperation: Tanzanian envoy

The photo shows Mbelwa Kairuki, ambassador of the United Republic of Tanzania to the People's Republic of China, who visited the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in February. (DotDotNews)

China has reopened its door in perfect timing, which paved the way for cooperation and exchange between the African world and the country, Mbelwa Kairuki, ambassador of the United Republic of Tanzania to the People's Republic of China, told DotDotNews in a recent interview.

Kairuki said China had been very responsible in the fight against COVID-19, as the country went all out to protect its own people, while helping the world by sharing scientific data and donating vaccines and PPEs.

In November last year, China and Tanzania announced the elevation of the bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership.

"The timing of opening the border is perfect. Now, we are looking forward to resuming our engagement, especially in areas of trade, investment and tourism," he added.

Fruitful meetings with HK, Macao stakeholders

According to Kairuki, as his first visit to Hong Kong in 2023, the trip has been "very productive." In a meeting with members of a business community, he gave an overview of Tanzania's economic situation and promoted the country as a travel destination. They have agreed to organize an HK delegation to visit Tanzania in July, so as to strengthen the people-to-people exchange between the two places, he said.

In another meeting with stakeholders of the China Diamond &Gem Company, Kairuki set the ground for China-Tanzania cooperation in the jewelry industry. Capitalizing on Tanzania's abundant mineral and gemstone resources, he wishes to make use of technology in HK and Macao for the value addition of raw materials in the East African country.

Ambassador Kairuki met with representatives of the China Diamond &Gem Company Limited. (Provided to DotDotNews)

"We wish to welcome enterprises from China to come and invest in the value addition of these minerals in Tanzania. Now we've agreed that we should cooperate with the company to trade our gemstones," he said.

Kairuki also mentioned an exchange session with the Knowledge Transfer and Entrepreneurship Office at Polytechnic University, where they reached a consensus to foster cooperation such as joint research, staff exchange and dual degree programs.

Kairuki joined a meeting with stakeholders of Hong Kong Polytechnic University. (Provided to DotDotNews)

Long-standing partnership: From infrastructure to trade and more

China-Tanzania relations go way back to the 1960s and Tanzania has been at the core of promoting China-Africa relations and supporting China in defending its interests, Kairuki said.

"Tanzania has been very, very proactive in engaging other countries, convincing them to support 'one country, two systems' policy," he added.

Citing figures, Kairuki said the trade volume between China and Tanzania reached $8.3 million last year, and they are setting the goal for $10 billion in 2025 and $20 million in 2035.

"China is the number one investor in Tanzania and the number one contractor in Tanzania. China is also the number one trading partner in Tanzania."

Kairuki highlighted the enormous investment opportunities at the Bagamoyo Special Economic Zone.

He said the country welcomes Chinese enterprises to explore investment opportunities in Tanzania, particularly in the manufacturing, agriculture, mining and livestock fishery sectors, where there are "plenty of opportunities."

Kairuki took an exclusive interview with DotDotNews. (DotDotNews)

Belt and Road Initiative substantially benefits its players

On the Belt and Road Initiative, Kairuki said it gives Tanzania and other African nations a platform to engage with one another in terms of trade, infrastructure, policies, and investment.

"The initiative has contributed to the socio-economic development of many countries that subscribe to it," he said.

The ambassador added that the Belt and Road Initiative has facilitated connectivity in terms of infrastructure, productivity, trade and people exchange.

"We are about to start upgrading the Tazara railway, we have upgraded our airports in all major cities thanks to enterprises from China. We have direct flights between Guangzhou and Dar es Salaam in Tanzania," he said. "All these are thanks to the Belt and Road Initiative."

"And we are hopeful that in the next ten years through a Belt and Road Initiative, we'll be able to do more," Kairuki added, saying that they encourage more participation of enterprises to implement projects and programs under the private-public partnership model.

Western smear campaign "out of ulterior motive"

Certain Western countries have frequently brought shame on China-Africa cooperation, citing so-called African debt issues.

When Western media look at infrastructure in Africa, they just unthinkingly feed into their narrative of "debt trap diplomacy," which is not true, said Kairuki.

The ambassador said these projects are actually win-win cooperation between China and Africa. "In the last decade, we've spent about $20 billion in infrastructure, the majority of which were funded outside China, and almost all of them were implemented by Chinese construction companies."

Kairuki denounced such a smear campaign by Western forces, saying such narratives are fabricated out of ulterior motives.

"I would call them propaganda. Those countries that are blaming China-Africa relations there, what have they done? What alternative have they given us? Nothing but leave us aside," he said.

Kairuki took an exclusive interview with DotDotNews. (DotDotNews)

Looking ahead: New milestone in China-Tanzania relations

Next year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries. President Samia Suluhu Hassan of Tanzania has invited President Xi Jinping to visit Tanzania in 2024.

Going forward, the ambassador said their task is to implement what was agreed to by the two leaders in their meeting in November last year. 

China and Tanzania have reached a consensus to hold a China-Tanzania year of tourism and culture at an appropriate time, and encourage more exchanges between the academics and media organizations of the two countries, and carry forward the friendship between the two peoples. 

"Our aim is to raise the living standard of our people. Our aim is to lift our people out of poverty. Our desire is to see this cooperation anchored on people-to-people cooperation and beneficial to the people. We could learn from China's experience. We could benefit from China's cooperation," Kairuki said.

The ambassador said he is very optimistic about the future of China-Tanzania relations. "The Communist Party of China and the ruling party of Tanzania, we see them have a strong bond of cooperation. We'll be able to do more."

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