China becomes Tanzania's biggest trading partner

China has become Tanzania's biggest trading partner, largest project contractor and main source of investment with investment by Chinese-funded enterprises in Tanzania exceeding 6.6 billion U.S. dollars, the Economic Daily quoted Lin Zhiyong, Chief Commercial Representative at the Chinese Embassy in Tanzania as saying on August 22.

In recent years, a number of Chinese enterprises have come to Tanzania in pursuit of mutually beneficial development opportunities. The Belt and Road initiative is giving strong impetus to local employment, economic growth and economic and trade exchanges between the two countries, while bringing tangible benefits to the Tanzanian people, said Lin.

Nyerere Bridge, constructed by Chinese companies, is the largest cable-stayed bridge in East Africa. Natural gas pipeline laid by Chinese companies has helped Tanzania to generate electricity with their own resources. At the same time, Chinese companies have invested more than 80 million U.S. dollars and 30 million U.S. dollars in East Africa's largest pottery factory and a modern steel plant, respectively. The two projects will start operations soon.

Known as the "sisal kingdom", Tanzania is famous around the world as the "main producing area of high-quality sisal hemp". Normally, the global annual demand for sisal fiber is about 800,000 metric tons (tonnes), while the annual output of sisal in Tanzania was only about 300,000 tonnes.

In 2010, China National Agriculture Development Group cooperated with China-Africa Development Fund and set up a Sino-African agricultural investment company. The company invested in a sisal project in Tanzania, planted sisal covering an area of 28,000 mu (15 mu equal one hectare) and produced 21,000 tons of sisal fiber. The project not only helped Tanzania to earn more than 3 million U.S. dollars in foreign exchange, but also created more than 11,000 jobs for locals.

A large number of investment projects have brought necessary funds and advanced technology and helped Tanzania to develop technical expertise.

At the same time, China's Belt and Road initiative has become a driver of Tanzania's Internet and communications technology development. Chinese companies, such as Huawei and ZTE, have invested in Tanzania to accelerate the pace of development of its communications industry, said Lin.