DAR ES SALAAM, Sept. 30 (Xinhua) -- Tanzanian Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation Mahmoud Thabit Kombo on Tuesday evening lauded the enduring friendship and cooperation between Tanzania and China, reaffirming his country's commitment to elevating bilateral ties to a new level.
Speaking at a reception hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Dar es Salaam to mark the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, which falls on Oct. 1, Kombo conveyed warm greetings from Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
Kombo said Tanzania and China shared a friendship forged by the older generation of leaders of the two countries more than six decades ago, adding that the relationship had grown stronger through generations of cooperation.
"Our history is built on a very strong foundation," Kombo said, highlighting landmark cooperation projects including the Tanzania-Zambia Railway (TAZARA) and the contribution of Chinese medical teams to Tanzania's health sector.
The minister said the elevation of Tanzania-China relations to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership affirmed the two countries' determination to take their friendship and cooperation to a new level.
He noted that the two countries were cooperating in trade, investment, industrialization, agriculture, energy, infrastructure and people-to-people exchanges, and that the revitalization of TAZARA would strengthen transport links and create new opportunities for trade and economic development.
Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania Chen Mingjian said China's development over the past 77 years had been marked by economic transformation and growing international cooperation.
She said China and Tanzania had remained trusted friends and reliable partners since establishing diplomatic relations in 1964, describing their relationship as a model of South-South cooperation.
The ambassador said bilateral trade reached a record 11.28 billion U.S. dollars in 2025, up 27 percent year on year, and that the TAZARA revitalization project was officially launched in November 2025.
She said China was ready to work with Tanzania to carry forward the spirit of friendship and cooperation, deepen bilateral exchanges and jointly advance modernization and common development. ■
