Foreign news
China, Tanzania upgrade ties to comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership
China and Tanzania have enjoyed a long-lasting friendship and comprehensive cooperation, and the development of the relations is being promoted at a higher level with Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s arrival in Beijing for a three-day visit.
The two countries on Thursday announced the elevation of bilateral relations to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership during Chinese President Xi Jinping’s meeting with Hassan, the first African head of state China received after the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China.
A ‘true and reliable’ China-Tanzania friendship
Noting that the two countries should take the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership as a guide to advance cooperation in various fields in the next stage, Xi said China will continue to import more Tanzanian products, support Chinese companies in investing and doing business in Tanzania and provide assistance for Tanzania’s economic and social development.
He said China has always viewed its relations with Tanzania from a strategic perspective and has always been a reliable friend.
The bilateral trade between China and Tanzania has developed rapidly. The trade volume reached $6.74 billion, up 47.1 percent year on year. Among them, Tanzania’s exports to China amounted to $606 million, up 47.3 percent year on year, and the growth rate was faster than the average level in Africa, according to Chinese statistics.
Hassan said Tanzania regards China as a “true and most important friend” and is willing to be a trusted partner of China forever.
She said Tanzania will continue to firmly support China on issues concerning China’s core interests, such as the issues related to Taiwan, Xinjiang and Hong Kong.
The two leaders witnessed the signing of bilateral cooperation documents on trade, investment, development cooperation, digital economy and green development.
The two sides also issued a joint statement on establishing a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership, covering issues such as leveraging the guiding political role of head-of-state diplomacy, elevating two-way trade, and strengthening coordination and cooperation in international affairs, among others.
Building a China-Africa community with a shared future
In 2013, during his visit to Tanzania, Xi put forth the guiding principles of China’s policy toward Africa, namely sincerity, real results, affinity and good faith, which have since become China’s basic policy on pursuing solidarity and cooperation with other developing countries.
Xi told Hassan that under the new circumstances, the sound development of China-Tanzania relations not only serves the common and long-term interests of the two countries but also is of great significance to building a China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era.
China is ready to create new opportunities for Africa with its new development, take infrastructure as the guide, strengthen cooperation in trade, investment and financing, and foster new drivers of China-Africa cooperation, he said.
Hassan said her country will join China in taking the establishment of a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership as an opportunity to strengthen practical cooperation in various fields and build bilateral relations into a model of Africa-China relations in the new era.
Highlighting the role of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in promoting the development of African countries, she said Tanzania will continue to actively participate in and support the development of FOCAC.
FOCAC is an effective platform and multilateral mechanism for China and African countries to conduct collective consultations and carry out pragmatic cooperation.
Since the establishment of FOCAC, Chinese enterprises have built more than 10,000 kilometers of railways, nearly 100,000 kilometers of roads, nearly 1,000 bridges, nearly 100 ports and a large number of hospitals and schools in Africa, said Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania Chen Mingjian during a conference on China-Africa cooperation through FOCAC in Tanzania’s Dar es Salaam in October.
In 2021, China-Africa trade volume was $254.2 billion, and China’s stock of direct investment in Africa exceeded $56 billion, 25 times and 100 times that of 2000, when the forum was established, respectively, according to the Chinese envoy
Foreign news
California Transport Agency Seeks Partnership With NiDCOM On Creative Arts, Others
California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) on Friday sought the partnership with the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) on creative arts, climate change, green jobs, Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) conversion and technology industries.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a three-man CalSTA delegation led by its Secretary, Mr Toks Omishakin, said this while paying a courtesy visit to Mrs Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman/CEO of NiDCOM, in Abuja.Omishakin said that CalSTA was one of the global largest agencies that had leading policies around the world in relations to climate change.
He added that for the last 40 to 50 years, the agency had engaged governments around the world to establish policies with better outcomes and impacts for the environment, including climate change.
According to him, Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa and for many years, the country has led African continent with her broad economy.
“So, very rarely that California engages countries in Africa, most of our agreements are with countries in Europe, Asia, Australia and South America.
“California does not have any agreement with countries in Africa when it comes to improving green jobs related to climate change .
“This visit is about how we can potentially set up a California-Nigerian partnership that is specifically addressing issues around climate change, green jobs, technology, creative arts and CNG conversion, these are the areas we want to specifically concentrate on.
“For instance, the creative arts industry all around the world, people know the industry that you call Nollywood, and Afro-beats more than ever.
“In addition, when it comes to United States of America’s creative industry like Hollywood, where a lot of film production happens, movies are made, TV shows are filmed just few miles way from Los Angeles.
“But when it comes to music like the Grammys and award shows for musicians across the world, it is held in Los Angeles, in the State of California.“Furthermore, when it comes to music in Africa. Nigeria is the epic centre for both music industry and movie industry and it’s the same thing for California, so there’s potential for partnership”, Omishakin said.
Responding, Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman of NiDCOM expressed appreciation for the visit led by Omishakin, a Nigerian-American who made Nigeria and the United States proud.
According to her, Nigerians are the best anywhere in the world and Omishakin is an example of Nigerians who are excelling in different fields all around the world.
“We are glad to welcome you home and we are glad that you’re talking business , and how California will be investing in Africa and Nigeria specifically.
“On your visit, you will see a lot of sectors where there can be more partnership with Nigeria.
“Also, part of your visit and tour, you will be meeting with the Transportation Minister and you will see one of the CNG conversion centres at the SMEDAN office, and also you will see products that are made in Nigeria that can be exported to California.
“Most importantly, we look forward to the partnership, bearing in mind that Nigeria is the biggest on the continent”, NiDCOM boss said.
She expressed optimism that in spite of the challenges facing Nigeria, the country would grow economically under President Bola Tinubu Administration.
The NiDCOM boss, who said that the President’s agenda was to build a one trillion economy, added that Nigerians needed to believe in government and themselves as well.
NAN reports that members of CalSTA delegation, who paid the courtesy visit included Mr Aditya Ramji, a Professor from the University of California, and Mr Giles Giovinazzi, Senior Advisor for CalSTA.
NAN
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