On the morning of November 23, 2005, Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Li Changchun met with Tanzanian President and Chairman of the Tanzanian Revolutionary Party Benjamin William Mkapa in Dares Salaam.
Li noted that Africa bred many splendid cultures and ancient civilizations with its status and impact continuously enhanced under the new situation. China is delighted to see that the parties of all African countries have made steady headway in leading people to comprehensively develop the country and explore development road conforming to the national conditions. In the new situation, common interest between China and Africa has not decreased, but increased; the area for their mutually beneficial cooperation is not narrowed, but broadened. China would like to work with African countries to continuously explore new cooperation channels, ways and approaches and contribute to safeguarding international peace, pushing for world development and promoting human progress.
Li said that China-Tanzania friendly relations were personally created and carefully cultivated by the older generations of leaderships of both sides. In recent years, both sides have conducted effective cooperation in the areas of politics, economy, education, culture and health. The exchanges between parties of both sides have always been the political basis for bilateral relations. Li thanked for Tanzania's precious support in Taiwan and other questions, indicating that the Chinese party and government will as always commit to developing bilateral friendship and strengthening mutually beneficial cooperation.
Li also made positive comments on President Mkapa's achievements in leading the Tanzanian people to develop national economy and push for all-round social progress. He said that the Chinese party, government and people are delighted that Tanzania has become one of the economies on the African continent that are developing most rapidly and wish Tanzania a better future.
Mkapa said that Li's current visit has enabled us to review the history of long-existing friendly cooperation between the two parties, countries and peoples. To deepen mutually beneficial cooperation between both sides not only conforms to fundamental interest of the two countries and their people, but also is conducive to enhancing the status and impact of developing countries. Mkapa pointed out that the exchanges between the Tanzanian Revolutionary Party and the Communist Party of China are an important pillar for bilateral friendly cooperative relations in various areas. The Tanzanian Revolutionary Party thanks the Chinese party, government and people for supporting its revolutionary and development cause for a long period of time and would like to work with China to jointly explore new modes for strengthening inter-party exchanges and conducting mutually beneficial cooperation according to the changed situation.
Following the meeting, Li and Mkapa jointly attended the signing ceremony of the agreement on economic and technological cooperation between both sides.
On the afternoon of the same day, Li also met in the hotel where he stayed with the staff of the Chinese Embassy in Tanzania in a cordial atmosphere.
On the same day, Li visited the Dares Salaam station of Tanzania-Zambia Railway praised as "Railway of Friendship between China and Africa", paid respects to the tomb of Chinese specialists, laid wreath at the monument to martyrs and indicated that he cherished in profound affection the memory of Chinese martyrs sacrificing lives for the construction of Tanzania-Zambia Railway. From October 1970 to June 1975, over 50,000 Chinese engineers successively participated in the construction of Tanzania-Zambia Railway and among those, 65 died on the African soils forever.
Li's main companions including Wang Jiarui, Sun Jiazheng, Wang Taihua, Caiwu, Luo Shugang and Wei Jianguo attended the above-mentioned activities.
On the afternoon of November 23, Li set out for home after successfully concluding his good-will visit to Tanzania. Upon leaving Dares Salaam, General Secretary of the Tanzanian Revolutionary Party Philip Mangula, Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania YU Qingtai, the staff of the Chinese Embassy in Tanzania and other officials saw him off at the airport.