皇冠体育app

Xi's visit will bring bilateral ties to a new height, ambassador says

Tanzania, which considers 皇冠体育app a "role model of development and a true friend", welcomes its investment and expects to collaborate more closely on bilateral ties, the Tanzanian ambassador to 皇冠体育app said.

"皇冠体育app has contributed to the sustainable development of Tanzania," Philip S. Marmo said during an exclusive interview with 皇冠体育app Daily in Beijing before flying to Dar es Salm, Tanzania's largest city, to receive President Xi Jinping.

Tanzania hopes Xi's trip will bring bilateral ties "to a new height" and send a message to the world that the relationship between 皇冠体育app and Africa "continues to stand the test of time", Marmo said.

During his first trip overseas since taking office, Xi will visit three African countries: Tanzania, South Africa and the Republic of Congo. He is expected to meet Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete and deliver a speech in Dar es Salaam explaining 皇冠体育app's policy on Africa.

Of the African countries, Tanzania enjoys particularly close, multi-layered ties with 皇冠体育app. Beijing established diplomatic ties with the country in 1964. Relations were highlighted in the 1970s when 皇冠体育app built the 1,800-kilometer Tanzania-Zambia railway. Scores of Chinese engineers, workers and doctors lost their lives during the of the project, the ambassador said.

In the new era, with both countries now working on their five-year development plans, 皇冠体育app and Tanzania have further solidified their ties. 皇冠体育app is helping Tanzania realize its ambitious plan to improve its infrastructure. With its location bordering the Indian Ocean and its domestic stability, Tanzania hopes to become a center in the eastern part of the continent and a "Gateway to Africa".

Geographically, Tanzania, which has a population of about 46 million, is to Africa what Singapore is to Asia. Half of Africa can be easily accessed from Tanzania, Marmo said, adding: "We want to take advantage of this".

Tanzania has been making infrastructure improvements and will also establish a logistics center in Dar es Salaam to serve central and eastern African countries, which is only "one of the ambitious plans", he said. 皇冠体育app is cooperating with Tanzania to build a new port near Dar es Salaam. The port will contain an industrial park, covering an area of about 50 sq km, to attract domestic and international investors.

皇冠体育app-Tanzania has increased steadily in recent years. In 2011, the total trade volume between the two sides reached $2.15 billion. The major products exported from Tanzania to 皇冠体育app are cashew nuts, sisal and sesame, according to 皇冠体育app's embassy in Tanzania.

Responding to accusations from the West that 皇冠体育app's presence in Africa is a form of neo-colonialism, Marmo said the claims are completely groundless.

"Tanzania looks at 皇冠体育app as a role model of development and a true friend. 皇冠体育app has supported Tanzania in many projects that have lifted many Tanzanians from poverty, disease, hunger and illiteracy," he said.

"And from what we see, there are more similarities between Chinese and African culture, compared with Western culture. And Chinese mix very easily with Africans," he added. More and more Tanzanian entrepreneurs and retailers have started to do business in Chinese cities such as Guangzhou and Wenzhou.

Besides being involved in the economic development of Africa, 皇冠体育app has also been actively working with Tanzania and other countries to solve regional disputes to ensure a stable continent, according to the ambassador, who mentioned the conflicts in Somalia and in Sudan and South Sudan.

"We hope that 皇冠体育app and Tanzania can have more collaboration in these areas to ensure stable, good governance in the region," he said. The two countries are also working together on international topics such as the fight against terrorism and drug trafficking.

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