Dar es Salaam. A new Tanzanian market has promised to simplify the sourcing of Chinese products by allowing traders to place orders through the Dar es Salaam-based East Africa Commerce and Logistics Centre (EACLC) instead of travelling to China.
The partnership between the EACLC and Yiwu International Trade City also establishes modern business premises, large-scale warehouses and dedicated cross-border logistics facilities, creating what stakeholders describe as a one-stop platform for China-Africa trade.
Yiwu International Trade City is among the world's largest wholesale markets, with more than 75,000 shops offering products ranging from clothing and footwear to electronics, household goods, jewellery and other consumer items.
Speaking during the launch of the market, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry and Trade Aristides Mbwasi, representing Deputy Minister for Industry and Trade Denis Londo, said the partnership would strengthen trade between Tanzania and China while making imported goods more accessible to local businesses.
"Instead of travelling to China to source goods from the Yiwu market, traders will now be able to access the same products here in Tanzania, reducing the cost of doing business," he said.
Mr Mbwasi said all products imported through the arrangement would undergo verification by relevant authorities to ensure they meet the required quality standards.
He also urged the centre to facilitate exports by connecting Tanzanian farmers, manufacturers and small businesses with buyers in China.
"This platform should not only support imports but also create opportunities for Tanzanian agro-processed products, textiles, minerals and other locally produced goods to access the Chinese market," he said.
Mr Mbwasi added that Tanzania's strategic location, supported by continued investment in ports, railways and road infrastructure, positions the country as a regional trade gateway for East, Central and Southern Africa.
EACLC Director Lisa Wang said the agreement builds on the centre's efforts to improve access to Chinese goods for businesses in Tanzania and neighbouring countries.
"We expect this partnership to make sourcing goods from China easier and more affordable. Traders will be able to place their orders through the centre without the need to travel overseas," she said.
Chairman of traders operating at the centre, Ayoub Katuga, said the arrangement would lower import costs by reducing dependence on intermediaries while giving traders direct access to products from one of China's largest wholesale markets.
