On January 9, 2017 local time, Foreign Minister Wang Yi held talks with Minister of Foreign Affairs Augustine Philip Mahiga of Tanzania in Dar es Salaam.

Wang Yi expressed that China-Tanzania friendship, personally initiated and fostered by the older generation of leaders of the two countries, has become a valuable spiritual wealth of the two peoples and is worthy for our inheritance and development. As China and Tanzania have always been trusting and supporting each other, the high political mutual trust has been a precious strategic resource of the two countries and calls for our efforts to further consolidate and deepen it. My visit this time aims to consolidate traditional friendship, dock development concepts and promote pragmatic cooperation. It is advised that China and Tanzania should further tamp the foundations of peoples' friendliness and political mutual trust, concentrate our efforts on mutually beneficial cooperation, people-to-people and cultural exchanges, military exchanges and international coordination, and earnestly translate the fruits of Johannesburg Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) into real efforts in Tanzania.

Wang Yi said that the Tanzania-Zambia Railway (Taraza) is a symbol and milestone of China-Africa cooperation. Leaders of China, Tanzania and Zambia have reached consensus on upgrading Taraza. China is willing to cooperate with Tanzania and Zambia to inject new vitality into Taraza and make new contributions for Tanzania, Zambia and other African countries to realize independent and sustainable development through three channels, including carrying out comprehensive reform on the Taraza management system, realizing effective integration between the railway and port and forging the industry economic belt along the railway.

Augustine Mahiga noted that the friendship between China and Tanzania has deep public opinion foundation, and the Tanzania people sincerely thank China for its great support and help for a long time. Tanzania looks forward to further expanding cooperation areas and deepening partnership with China, and welcomes more Chinese enterprises to participate in the construction of major projects in Tanzania and play a more significant role in the national development process of Tanzania. Tanzania supports China's "Belt and Road" initiative, and is willing to be the bridge tower for introducing the initiative into Africa. Tanzania will upgrade and reconstruct Taraza along with China and Zambia to facilitate the connectivity and integration process of east Africa and drive the economic development of Tanzania and the region.

Augustine Mahiga said that China has become the world's second largest economy and exerts significant impacts in boosting world economic growth. Tanzania admires the great achievements China has made in development and is willing to draw from the development path of China. Tanzania appreciates China's leading role in international affairs, such as tackling climate change, and thanks China for its unremitting efforts in safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries. Tanzania will continue communicating and coordinating with China on major international and regional issues, including the UN Security Council reform.

Wang Yi stated that China has always been a member of developing countries no matter how it develops, and has always been committed to safeguarding the common interests of developing countries. China is willing to further strengthen communication with African countries, including Tanzania, under the FOCAC and other mechanisms, deepen all-round cooperation in bilateral and international affairs and make its own contribution to promoting Africa's development and safeguarding the common interests of both sides.