CGTN: China-Africa Vision explores path toward sustainable cooperation

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Sep 07, 2023, 05:14 ET

DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania, Sept. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- A special event titled "China-Africa Vision: Towards a Sustainable Future" was held at the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania to mark the 10th anniversary of the China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

The event gathered over 200 participants, including diplomats, entrepreneurs, academics and policymakers, from China and Africa to explore avenues for fostering sustainable partnerships for the future.

Over the past decade, the scope of collaboration between China and Africa has consistently expanded under the framework of BRI. According to Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Deng Li, China stands as Africa's largest trading partner, boasting a direct investment flow of over $30 billion.

Bilateral trade between China and Tanzania surged to $8.31 billion in 2022, posting a 3.5-fold growth over that of a decade ago, said China's ambassador to Tanzania at the event.

"If you want to go fast, go alone, and if you want to go far, go together," said Mussa Zungu, deputy speaker of Tanzania's parliament, citing the African proverb. He said the BRI presents an opportunity for East African nations to acquire financing and material support for infrastructure projects. He also pointed out that infrastructural development under the BRI aligns with the East African Community's development strategy, making it a catalyst for economic integration.

Over the past decade, a number of Chinese state-owned and private companies have participated in infrastructure development projects in many African countries, building roads, railways, bridges and airports.

Janson Huang, chairman of Group Six International, Sinotan Industrial Park, who arrived in Tanzania two decades ago, is one of them. Through his endeavors in the construction and real estate sectors, Huang has constructed buildings and helped shape communities and industries in Tanzania.

Moreover, Ernest Mkongo, the coordinator of the China Agricultural University - Morogoro Regional Secretariat Soybean Project, stands at the forefront of the collaboration between China and Africa in agricultural technology. The project as enabled the adoption of advanced farming techniques in maize and soy cultivation.

As China and Africa celebrate a decade of partnership under the BRI, it becomes evident that sustainability rests on even broader and more inclusive exchanges.