China on Saturday extended congratulations to Tanzania's incumbent President John Magufuli on winning another term.

The National Electoral Commission announced on Friday that Magufuli of the ruling party Chama Cha Mapinduzi had won the presidential election.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin noted that under Magufuli's leadership, Tanzania will make greater progress in national development, adding that China looks forward to enhancing cooperation with the new Tanzanian government to bring bilateral relations to a new height.
  
Magufuli was declared winner of Wednesday's election with 12.51 million votes (84 percent) against 1.93 million (13 percent) for his main challenger, Tundu Lissu from the leading opposition Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo. 

"The commission declares John Magufuli of CCM (Chama Cha Mapinduzi) who garnered the majority of votes as the winner in the presidential seat ..." said the commission's Chairman Semistocles Kaijage.
  
Tanzanians took to some 80,000 polling stations across the country to cast ballots for the elections of president, members of parliament and councilors on Wednesday.

Voter turnout was 50.7 percent from more than 29 million voters, with over 260,000 votes declared invalid. No final results were given for the parliamentary results, but Magufuli's ruling CCM had earlier won all but two seats, with around 200 of 264 parliamentary seats announced. 

In 2015, Magufuli won with only 58 percent of the vote.

In his bid for a second five-year term, Magufuli has promised voters that he will boost the economy by completing ambitious infrastructure projects he started in his first term, such as a new hydropower dam, a rail-line and planes for the national carrier. 

Lissu said previously that he will not accept the eventual election results, denouncing widespread fraud, intimidation and oppression of the opposition. 

(With input from agencies)