Beijing and Dar es Salaam to revitalize Tanzania-Zambia Railway

China and Tanzania have expressed a shared commitment to revitalizing the Tanzania–Zambia Railway as a driver of economic growth and a source of tangible benefits for both countries, during a meeting between Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan in Dar es Salaam on Saturday.

Wang said the two sides should jointly advance high-quality bilateral cooperation and transform the revitalized railway into a regional engine of development — a bridge of friendship and a pathway to shared prosperity that will deliver lasting benefits to the people of Tanzania and other African countries.

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway, which runs east from Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, to New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia, was built with interest-free loans from China and officially handed over to the governments of Tanzania and Zambia on July 14, 1976.

On Sept 4, 2024, the leaders of the three countries witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on the revitalization project of the railway.

During the talks, Wang also expressed China's readiness to work with Tanzania to step up exchanges on governance experience, deepen practical cooperation, and expand people-to-people exchanges, so as to steadily advance the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between the two countries.

China firmly supports Tanzania in safeguarding its sovereignty, independence and national dignity, he said, adding that Beijing supports Dar es Salaam in playing a greater role in regional and international affairs.

Hassan said Tanzania stands ready to actively align its development plans with those of China and advance the revitalization of the Tanzania–Zambia Railway and the development corridor along its route.

She reaffirmed Tanzania's firm adherence to the one-China principle and spoke highly of China's four major global initiatives, noting that the country is willing to strengthen multilateral coordination with China and work together to promote a more just and equitable system of global governance.

During the visit, Wang also held talks with Tanzanian Minister for Foreign Affairs and East African Cooperation Mahmoud Thabit Kombo and met the press together.