Xi Jinping calls for building China-Tanzania ties into model for cooperation in Global South

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday said China is ready to work with Tanzania to build bilateral relations into a model for China-Africa relations and cooperation in the Global South and make greater contributions to promoting the building of a community with a shared future for mankind.

Xi made the remarks during a meeting with Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who is in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).

Noting that this year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, Xi said the two countries respect and trust each other on the road to national revitalization and work hand in hand on the journey toward modernization.

China will work with Tanzania to advance and deepen the two countries' comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to better benefit the two peoples, Xi said, calling on both sides to enhance exchanges of experience in state governance, improve political and strategic mutual trust and deepen mutually beneficial and practical cooperation.

China is also willing to take the summit as an opportunity to push for new progress in the revitalization project of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) railway and jointly improve the rail-sea intermodal transport network in East Africa, he said.

This March, Chinese and African scholars published the Dar es Salaam Consensus between China and Africa, demonstrating the consensus on the development path and vision of the Global South countries, Xi noted.

China-Tanzania relations are in line with the historical trend of the development and growth of the Global South, said the Chinese president.

For her part, Hassan expressed her belief that the summit will make new contributions to deepening friendly cooperation between Africa and China and effectively promote Africa's industrialization and agricultural modernization process.

China is Tanzania's trustworthy and indispensable partner, Hassan said, calling for continuing to expand practical cooperation in various areas with China and actively advancing the Belt and Road cooperation to bring tangible benefit to the people.

During the summit, China and Tanzania will sign several bilateral cooperation documents in areas including connectivity and trade in agricultural products.