As the calendar turns to October 1, China today marks its National Day, commemorating 77 years since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949. Across China and among Chinese communities around the world, the day stands as a national moment of reflection on the country’s historic journey and its continuing engagement with the international community.
In Tanzania, the occasion has also provided a diplomatic platform to celebrate a friendship that has endured for more than six decades and evolved into a broad-based partnership spanning development, trade, investment, infrastructure, education and other areas of mutual interest.
For Tanzania, the story of friendship with China is deeply rooted in the history of Africa’s independence and the emergence of a new international order in which newly independent states sought partnerships based on sovereignty, equality and mutual respect.
China established diplomatic relations with Tanganyika in 1961 and with Zanzibar in 1963. Following the Union of Tanganyika and Zanzibar in April 1964, diplomatic relations continued with the United Republic of Tanzania, with April 26, 1964 recognised as the date on which diplomatic relations between China and Tanzania were established.
Over the decades, the relationship developed around principles of mutual respect for sovereignty, equality, mutual benefit and non-interference in internal affairs.
These principles were further reflected in the Treaty of Friendship signed by the two countries in Beijing in February 1965 by Chinese President Liu Shaoqi and Tanzania’s founding President, Mwalimu Julius K. Nyerere.
One of the most enduring symbols of this historic friendship is the Tanzania-Zambia Railway (TAZARA), whose construction represented a defining chapter in the history of Tanzania-China relations, African liberation and South-South cooperation.
It was against this historic backdrop that Tanzania reaffirmed its appreciation of its longstanding relationship with China during a reception held in Dar es Salaam to commemorate the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China.
Tanzania’s Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation, Hon. Ambassador Dr. Mahmoud Thabit Kombo, conveyed warm congratulations from President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Dr. Samia Suluhu Hassan, to Chinese President Xi Jinping and the people of China on the occasion.
Minister Kombo said Tanzania values the longstanding friendship and cooperation with China, noting that the relationship has continued to expand across multiple sectors and has contributed to Tanzania’s development through trade, investment, infrastructure, education and other areas.
He stressed the importance of translating the longstanding political goodwill between the two countries into greater economic opportunities, particularly through increased bilateral trade and investment.
The Minister called on Tanzanian producers and businesspeople to increase production, improve the quality of locally manufactured and agricultural products and strengthen their capacity to meet international market standards in order to take greater advantage of opportunities in the Chinese market.
He also highlighted the strategic importance of transport infrastructure in facilitating trade and regional economic integration, pointing to TAZARA as an important component of the transport network connecting Tanzania with Zambia and the wider Southern African region.
Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania, H.E. Chen Mingjian, said China remains ready to work with Tanzania in areas of shared interest and to further strengthen bilateral cooperation.
The Ambassador underscored the historical foundations of China-Tanzania relations, emphasising the tradition of mutual respect and friendship that has characterised relations between the two peoples.
The relationship has since acquired a broader strategic dimension, extending beyond bilateral cooperation into regional and international diplomacy.
In November 2022, Tanzania and China elevated their relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership, reflecting the expanding scope of cooperation and the importance attached by both governments to high-level political dialogue and practical economic engagement.
The two countries subsequently marked the 60th anniversary of their diplomatic relations in 2024, providing another opportunity to reflect on a partnership that has continued to evolve amid major changes in the international system.
Today, the Tanzania-China relationship extends beyond the traditional language of friendship and solidarity. It increasingly encompasses economic diplomacy, investment, industrial development, infrastructure connectivity, trade, education and cooperation within multilateral and international platforms.
For Tanzania, the relationship with China is therefore part of a broader foreign-policy approach centred on expanding partnerships, attracting investment, opening markets for Tanzanian products and strengthening the country's position within regional and global economic networks.
The 77th National Day of the People’s Republic of China consequently offers more than an occasion for celebration. It provides a moment to reflect on the historical foundations of Tanzania-China relations while looking ahead to how the two countries can translate decades of political trust into deeper economic cooperation and shared development.
The anniversary reception brought together senior government officials, ambassadors, members of the diplomatic corps, representatives of institutions and private-sector stakeholders, reflecting the broad spectrum of engagement between Tanzania and China.
As Tanzania and China look towards the future, the emphasis is increasingly on transforming longstanding diplomatic goodwill into practical opportunities that can expand trade, investment, industrial cooperation, infrastructure connectivity and people-to-people relations, while continuing to uphold the principles of mutual respect and mutual benefit that have shaped the relationship for generations.