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Economic trade zones with China under way
2007-05-30 08:52:46
By Pastory Nguvu
Negotiations are going on between China on the one hand and Tanzania and a number of other African countries on the other on the possibility of forming economic trade zones between the two parties.
Industry, Trade and Marketing minister Basil Mramba said in Dar es Salaam yesterday that the establishment of the zones would facilitate trade investments that would in turn enhance economic growth between Asia and Africa.
The minister said this in remarks at meeting with China`s Deputy Minister for Commerce, Huang Hai, who is on an official visit to Tanzania at the head of an eight-member delegation from his ministry.
`I had invited the Chinese Minister for Commerce as a follow-up on the Sino-Africa Forum held in Beijing at the end of last year. The forum was attended by African Heads of State, including President Jakaya Kikwete,` explained Mramba.
He said that at the Beijing meeting, China opened the doors to its economy to African countries, adding: `The Chinese Deputy Minister for Commerce has just informed us that his country has allowed 442 business commodities from Africa to be sold in China.`
Mramba called on businesspeople from Tanzania to utilise the newfound avenue by selling Tanzanian products to China, saying his ministry has already signed business contracts with China under which Tanzania can sell to the Far Eastern country items like agricultural produce, minerals and livestock products.
For his part, the Chinese deputy minister explained that his government was working hard to enhance the long-term friendship between the two countries.
The investment opportunities that Tanzania has would make a monumental contribution to the boosting of trade for the Tanzanian and Chinese people, he pointed out.
`I am quite confident that tourism is one of the sectors that can bring more prosperity to Tanzanians. Many Chinese students have learnt about Mount Kilimanjaro and therefore the mountain is widely known in China and our people are anxious to see the highest mountain in Africa,` he noted.
`The wide coverage of Tanzania`s wildlife sector by the Chinese mass media is among the factors that have contributed to the recognition of various national parks in your country which should attract many tourists from China in the future,` added deputy minister Huang Hai.
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