Xi Jinping, China's new president, has arrived into Tanzania at the start of a three-nation Africa tour that underscores Beijing's growing presence in the resource-rich continent.
Xi flew into the east African nation's economic capital Dar es Salaam from Russia, the opening stage of his first foreign trip since being anointed president 10 days ago, on Sunday,
The president is set to give a keynote speech on Monday covering relations with Africa and sign some 20 trade, development and cultural accords, before heading to Durban, South Africa to join an emerging economies summit.
He will wrap up the African tour with a visit to Congo.
"China-Africa cooperation is comprehensive," Xi said ahead of the trip, adding that Beijing valued "friendly relationships with all African countries, no matter whether they are big or small, strong or weak, rich or poor".
"No matter whether it is rich or poor in resources, China treats it equally and actively carries out pragmatic cooperation that benefits both sides."
'Historical dimension'
China is the second-largest foreign investor in Tanzania, with stakes in agriculture, coal, iron ore and infrastructure,
"Xi's decision to visit Tanzania first suggests that China is not merely interested in short-term economic gains, but that it is interested in developing long-lasting partnerships with African countries. "
- Frans-Paul van der Putten, senior research fellow, Netherlands Institute of International Relations |
Xi will be keen "to showcase that China's approach to Africa is different from the West," said China expert Jonathan Holslag, head of research at the Brussels Institute of Contemporary China Studies.
"Tanzania offers Xi an important opportunity to highlight the historical dimension of Sino-African relations.
"Today, China is reviving this partnership with Tanzania by investing heavily in its infrastructure" such as railways that could provide a vital link to Chinese-run mines in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Holslag said.
China's first contacts with Africa came with the sea voyages of Zheng He, a Chinese Muslim admiral who led expeditions to the east African coast in the 1400s, but little followed for centuries.
"Xi's decision to visit Tanzania first suggests that China is not merely interested in short-term economic gains, but that it is interested in developing long-lasting partnerships with African countries," said Frans-Paul van der Putten, senior research fellow at the Netherlands Institute of International Relations.
'Essential partner'
China, which has risen to become the world's second-largest economy, sources many of its raw materials from Africa.
A new Chinese diaspora has seen huge numbers of traders and small business operators establish themselves across the continent, which has higher growth rates than Europe or the US.
Chinese imports from Africa soared 20-fold in a decade to reach $113bn last year, according to Chinese government statistics, and China became the continent's largest trading partner in 2009.
Highlighting the changing relationship, Beijing hosted a summit of 48 African leaders in 2006.
In South Africa, where two-way trade totalled $59.9bn last year - nearly one-third of total China-Africa trade - Xi will hold talks with President Jacob Zuma and join the leaders of Brazil, India, Russia and South Africa at the BRICS summit of emerging economies.
China has lent oil-rich Congo, Xi's last stop, billions of dollars under a series of agreements, financing a 500km road linking Brazzaville, the capital, to commercial hub Pointe-Noire, a 120-megawatt hydroelectric dam and other projects.
A presidential source told the AFP news agency that Brazzaville considered Beijing an "essential partner" and their relationship "immaculate".
jacob k |
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