DAR ES SALAAM, April 23 (Xinhua) -- A senior Tanzanian government official on Tuesday described the future of Tanzania-China relations as bright and unshakeable.
"We really cherish the cooperation between Tanzania and China. It is built on strong and unshakeable foundations. The two countries work hand in hand to promote each other," said Hassan Abbasi, the Director of Tanzania Information Services and Chief Government Spokesperson.
Speaking in an interview with Xinhua ahead of the commemoration of the 55th anniversary of the establishment of China-Tanzania diplomatic relations, Abbasi said Tanzania and China remained brothers and sisters.
"Tanzania will continue to learn from China in areas such as hard work, industrialization and the anti-corruption drive," said the chief government spokesperson.
Abbasi added what President John Magufuli is currently doing in undertaking transformation in infrastructure, social services, health and industrialization is an approach inspired by our Chinese friends.
He said Tanzania has always opened wide its doors to Chinese investors who plan to come to the east African nation to enjoy the vast investment opportunities in various fields, including mining, manufacturing, tourism and media.
Abbasi said the Tanzania Tourism Board this year invited Chinese tourists to visit Tanzania and make the country their destination of choice.
However, he said it was important that citizens of both countries cherished the long standing brotherhood by complying to all relevant laws and social ethics when they visited or lived in either countries.
According to the Chinese embassy in Tanzania, bilateral trade volume between the two countries reached 3.976 billion U.S. dollars in 2018, registering a year-on-year growth of 15 percent, with China being the largest trading partner of Tanzania for three consecutive years.
Up to now, China's total investment in Tanzania has exceeded 7 billion dollars, which made China the largest foreign investor in the east African nation.
Currently, more than 200 Chinese companies were making investments and operating in Tanzania where China is the largest project contractor in the country with investments ranging from infrastructure, mining, agriculture to manufacturing, hotels, real estate to banks.
Last week, Tanzania hosted the China-Tanzania high-level dialogue on investment and business environment aimed at providing a platform for the Tanzanian government to facilitate investment, project contracting and trade business operations of Chinese companies in the country.
