Dar touts direct fights to China

TANZANIA has called for establishment of direct flights between to Dar es Salaam and Beijing to capitalise on the ever growing trade, economic and social relations between the two nations.

The Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Minister, Mr Bernard Membe, made the plea at a ceremony to re-launch the Tanzania-China Friendship Promotion Association in Dar es Salaam at the weekend.

“There is a huge business flowing between the two nations, presenting enormous opportunities for the Chinese airlines to establish at least three to four flights a week,” he said.

Tanzania-china Friendship Promotion Association was re-launched in Dar es Salaam at the weekend, turning a new page in the history of the non government organisation (NGO) into a significant instrument for realising socio-economic growth.

He said at the ceremony that is the only people’s association designed to promote friendship between the two nations.

“This not only provides a higher standard of development and a higher expertise in business and economic cooperation, but also expands cultural development and exchange by building a professional platform and offering stronger support,” he said.

For example, he said, the association will play significant role in imparting to Tanzanians the most needed skills and knowledge in the gas economy.

To begin with, Chinese government has offered 100 scholarships to Tanzania to specialise in the field of oil and gas to ensure there is full participation of locals in the gas economy.

“We have no enough skilled personnel in the area of oil and gas, thus with the scholarships, more experts will be created,” he said.

On his part, the newly elected Chairman of the Tanzania-China Friendship Promotion Association, Dr Salim Ahmed Salim said, “China is changing swiftly, the relationship should also adopt new changes.”

He said the relationship of the two nations is a feeling of three things namely, solidarity, understanding and equality. Thus the re-launching implies knowing the history of the two nations, particularly for the young generation.

Chinese people have a special feeling about Tanzanians,” But we need to go beyond such feelings to discover more values of the relationship that will create a win-win situation.”

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of China to Tanzania, Mr Lu Youqing, said with the association, the grand blueprint of China-Tanzania relations has been drawn and the positive effects of mutually beneficial cooperation the two nations gradually rendering.

“The relationship between two countries is based on the affection between two countries’ people and cultural exchanges between the two countries are important parts of the friendship,” he said.

The association is committed to the establishment of an all-round, multi-level, wide-ranging and professional platform to promote friendly exchange and cooperation among the peoples of both countries.