Chinese investment in Tanzania has continued to expand, making a significant contribution to the country’s economic development.
Dar es Salaam. China’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr Wang Yi, is scheduled to make an official visit to Tanzania from January 9 to 10, 2026, in a move expected to further strengthen bilateral relations between the two countries.
According to a statement issued yesterday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Mr Wang, who is also a member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, will be received by his Tanzanian counterpart, the Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Ambassador Mahmoud Thabit Kombo.
During his stay, Mr Wang is also expected to pay a courtesy call on President Samia Suluhu Hassan.
“The visit is aimed at further strengthening and deepening the long-standing friendly relations and cooperation between Tanzania and the People’s Republic of China for the mutual benefit of the two countries,” the ministry said in the statement.
The ministry added that the visit comes within the broader framework of China–Africa cooperation, noting that Tanzania and China continue to enjoy robust and mutually beneficial ties, particularly in trade and investment.
Chinese investment in Tanzania has continued to expand, making a significant contribution to the country’s economic development.
In 2025 alone, the Tanzania Investment and Special Economic Zones Authority (Tiseza) registered 343 Chinese-backed projects valued at $3.1 billion (about Sh7.7 trillion), which created more than 82,000 jobs.
The investments span a range of key sectors, including manufacturing, agriculture, services, transport, commercial real estate, telecommunications and tourism.
The statement further highlighted close cooperation between Tanzania and China in the development of transport infrastructure, describing it as a critical driver of economic growth and regional integration.
In this context, the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (Tazara) was cited as one of the most enduring symbols of friendship and cooperation between Tanzania, Zambia and China. The railway, which stretches for 1,860 kilometres—975 kilometres in Tanzania and 885 kilometres in Zambia—remains a landmark project reflecting decades of partnership.
The ministry said the visit underscores the enduring friendship between Tanzania and China, founded on mutual trust, respect and shared values cultivated over more than 60 years.
It recalled that the strong ties between the two nations were laid by their founding leaders, the late Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and the late Chairman Mao Zedong, and have since been strengthened by successive generations of leadership.
The government said it expects the visit to further consolidate cooperation between the two countries and open new opportunities for collaboration in areas of shared interest.
