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Tanzania’s Hassan makes state visit to China with projects on her mind
- Tanzanian president will be hoping for progress on US$10 billion mega-port and other stalled ventures in talks with Xi Jinping
- The visit from November 2-4 will be the first by an African leader since last month’s 20th party congress in Beijing
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The stalled US$10 billion Bagamoyo mega-port and other Chinese-funded projects are expected to top the agenda during Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s state visit to China from Wednesday.
China’s foreign ministry said President Xi Jinping would host a welcome ceremony and banquet for Hassan, who will be in China until November 4.
“The two heads of state will hold talks and attend the signing ceremony of cooperation documents,” ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said on Friday.
Hassan will be the first African leader to visit China since the conclusion of the Communist Party’s 20th congress in October.
Since coming to power last year following the death of president John Magufuli, Hassan has moved to improve relations with Tanzania’s neighbours as well as with major economies, including China.
Tim Zajontz, research fellow with the Centre for International and Comparative Politics at Stellenbosch University in South Africa, said both sides wanted Hassan’s visit to show that their oft-invoked “all-weather friendship is unwavering”.
While neither side would admit it officially, the years under Hassan’s predecessor had been “rather traumatic” for the Chinese, Zajontz said.
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