Your Excellency January Makamba, Minister of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation of the United Republic of Tanzania, 

Your Excellency Permanent Secretary from the Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation of the United Republic of Tanzania,

General Jacob John Mkunda, Chief of Tanzania People's Defense Forces,

Secretary from the CCM,

Your Excellencies, Ambassadors, High Commissioners, Representatives of International Organizations, 

Friends from different sectors of Tanzania, 

My fellow Chinese, 

Ladies and gentlemen, 

Habari za asubuhi!

Today, we gather here to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Tanzania. This event is co-hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Tanzania and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation of Tanzania. First of all, on behalf of the Chinese Embassy, I would like to express my sincere gratitude and best wishes to all of you, and through you, to all the people who have dedicated themselves to China-Tanzania friendship and to the friendly people of Tanzania!

As a Chinese saying goes, “When you drink the water, remember those who dug the well.” Sixty years ago, the visionary leaders of the two countries, including Chairman Mao Zedong, Premier Zhou Enlai, President Julius Nyerere, and President Abeid Karume, have established and fostered the China-Tanzania friendship. The past 60 years between us have been a period of solidarity and unity, a period of sincere cooperation and common development, and a period of shared ideas and mutual support.

Over the past 60 years, China and Tanzania have deepened their political mutual trust. In the 1960s when the national liberation movements were in full swing in Africa, China stood firmly with Tanzania and other African countries and forged a profound friendship. In the 1960s and 70s when China was still poor, we tightened our belts to help our African brothers build the Tazara Railway, which is also Uhuru Railway and Urafiki Railway, forging a milestone in China-Tanzania and China-Africa friendship. We will also remember that the Tanzanian side made tremendous efforts for the restoration of the People's Republic of China lawful seat in the United Nations. The scene when the Tanzanian Permanent Representative to the UN Dr. Salim Ahmed Salim applauded for China at the 26th Session of the UN General Assembly is a classic moment in China-Tanzania relations. 

In 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping made visited Tanzania right after he assumed president. Right after the 20th National Congress of the CPC in 2022, President Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan visited China, the two heads of state agreed to elevate the bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership. Under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, China and Tanzania enjoy ever closer exchanges across the fields. The two countries firmly support each other on issues concerning  respective core interests and major concerns, closely cooperate in international and regional affairs, and jointly safeguard the unity and legitimate development interests of developing countries.

Over the past 60 years, China-Tanzania practical cooperation has yielded fruitful results. Practical cooperation between us covers a wide range of fields such as industry, agriculture, infrastructure, medical and health care. China has remained Tanzania’s largest trading partner for eight consecutive years. In 2023, the bilateral trade volume reached 8.8 billion U.S. dollars. China is also Tanzania’s largest source of foreign investment. Major projects undertaken by Chinese companies such as the SGR, Julius Nyerere Hydro-power Station, the National ICT Broadband Backbone Network are making steady progress, which has injected strong impetus to Tanzania’s industrialization and modernization. 60 years ago, China sent the first batch of Chinese medical team to Tanzania. Up till now, 60 batches of Chinese medical teams have provided medical services in Tanzania. What a coincidence. Their footprints have spread throughout the land of Tanzania.

Over the past 60 years, China-Tanzania people-to-people and cultural ties have become more solid. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the enthusiasm of the two peoples to know each other has become even higher. China’s first cultural center in East Africa has been established in Tanzania, and the “Mandarin craze” continues to heat up. Confucius Institutes and Luban Workshops have taken root in Tanzania, and more and more Chinese universities have opened Swahili language majors. The TV series Welcome to Milele Village, which were mainly shot in Tanzania, is a hit in China. Many Chinese tourists come to Tanzania to enjoy majestic Mount Kilimanjaro, vast Serengeti grassland and cultural and natural attractions of Zanzibar Island. The Happy Chinese New Year Celebrations, the China-Tanzania Friendship Cup Table Tennis Competition, and the Tanzania International Martial Arts Competition have greatly enriched the cultural and sports life of the two peoples.

Over the past 60 years, China-Tanzania relations have been at the forefront of China-Africa cooperation. During President Xi Jinping’s visit to Tanzania in 2013, he first put forward the principles of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith for China’s Africa policy, which has now become a basic policy concept guiding China’s solidarity and cooperation with developing countries. In recent years, Tanzania actively participated in development of the Belt and Road Initiative, and China-Tanzania cooperation has set a good example of realizing common development of China and Africa. Not long ago, the 13th session of the China-Africa Think Tank Forum was held in Tanzania, the Chinese and African scholars have reached the Dar es Salaam Consensus.

Ladies and gentlemen,

Dear friends,

Sixty years later, we are at a new historical starting point with a new historical mission. We are tasked to carry on the traditional friendship across generations and make greater contributions to a stronger China-Africa and China-Tanzania community with a shared future.

China and Tanzania should continue to be sincere friends with mutual trust. We should stay committed to supporting each other on issues with each other’s core interests and major concerns, such as national sovereignty and territorial integrity. Today’s world is fraught with uncertainties. Faced with a series of global problems, major challenges, and outstanding contradictions, President Xi Jinping proposed building a community with a shared future for mankind and advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization. The Chinese side stands ready to work with the Tanzanian side to implement the concept of building a community with a shared future for mankind and jointly safeguard the international system with the United Nations as core.

China and Tanzania should continue to be mutually beneficial partners. We will align the high quality development of Belt and Road Initiative with Tanzanian’s development strategies, deepen cooperation in agriculture, education, tourism, etc, and cultivate new growth points such as the digital economy, green development, and blue economy. The Chinese side is willing to work with the Tanzanian side to implement the Initiative on Supporting Africa’s Industrialization, Supporting Africa’s Agricultural Modernization, and the Plan for China-Africa Cooperation on Talent Development proposed by President Xi Jinping. The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit will be held in Beijing in September this year. The Chinese side looks forward to working with Tanzania and other African countries to make this Summit a landmark in the history of China-Africa relations.

China and Tanzania should continue to be a model of exchanges and mutual learning. “Amity between the people holds the key to sound state-to-state relations.” It’s imperative for us to well organize the China-Tanzania Year of Tourism and Culture. I believe with the release of the documentary called “Amazing Tanzania”, more Chinese tourists will visit Tanzania for sightseeing. We need to promote mutual understanding between the two peoples by creating more high-quality projects and institutional mechanisms for exchanges and cooperation among media houses, local governments, think tanks, youth, etc. With the aim of celebrating the 60th anniversary, we will organize Video and Photography Competition on China-Tanzania Friendship, and the China-Tanzania Youth Dialogue. We welcome active participation of people from all walks of life, and contribute their shares to stronger people-to-people ties between China and Tanzania.

To conclude, let us wish China-Tanzania friendship will last forever, our two countries enjoy prosperity, and all peoples in the world boast happiness and good health.

Asanteni sana.