Xinhua News Agency, Lusaka, Nov. 20 — On November 20 local time, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, together with Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema and Tanzanian Vice President Philip Mpango, attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the TAZARA Railway Revitalization Project in Lusaka.
Li Qiang noted that in September last year, Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Hichilema of Zambia, along with Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, jointly witnessed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on the TAZARA Railway Revitalization Project in Beijing. Over the past year, relevant departments and enterprises of China, Tanzania, and Zambia have worked in close coordination and made proactive efforts, leading to important progress and today’s official commencement of the project.
Li Qiang emphasized that the TAZARA Railway is like a bond that tightly links the hearts of the people of China, Tanzania, and Zambia. The “TAZARA spirit,” forged through dedication and hard work, is a valuable asset that must be cherished and safeguarded. Today, China–Africa cooperation has embarked on a new journey toward achieving modernization together, and the TAZARA Railway stands as a landmark project in these efforts. China is willing to work with Zambia and Tanzania to ensure that this railway—laden with hope—shines with renewed vitality in the new era, injecting fresh momentum into the development of both countries and the African continent as a whole.
Li Qiang stated that the Chinese government, together with the governments of Zambia and Tanzania, will provide necessary support and guarantees for the revitalization of the railway. He called on the three parties to uphold high standards and pursue high-quality construction to turn the project into an exemplary, safe, and efficient model project, and a flagship of high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.
China is ready to assist Zambia and Tanzania in promoting the development of the TAZARA Railway Prosperity Belt, jointly creating a new hub for economic growth. China will also cooperate with the two countries on more “small but impactful” projects along the railway, such as healthcare, poverty reduction, and agricultural initiatives, to further improve people’s livelihoods.
Li Qiang added that China hopes to take the revitalization project as an opportunity to advance “hard connectivity” of infrastructure—including railways, roads, and ports—and to strengthen “soft connectivity” in areas such as customs, inspection and quarantine, and taxation. These efforts aim to continuously enhance trade and investment facilitation, deepen market and industrial integration among China, Tanzania, and Zambia, and gather stronger synergy for development. Looking ahead, China–Africa cooperation has broad prospects. China stands ready to work with Zambia, Tanzania, and other African countries to further promote the TAZARA spirit, implement the outcomes of the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation Beijing Summit, and advance the building of a China–Africa community with a shared future in the new era.
President Hichilema and Vice President Mpango noted that the TAZARA Railway is a monument to the friendship forged by the elder generation of leaders of the three nations, and a symbol of independence, self-reliance, unity, and mutual assistance among their peoples. Revitalizing the TAZARA Railway reflects the shared destiny and common future of the three countries and will serve as a vivid demonstration of their joint efforts to carry forward their friendship and pursue revitalization together.
Zambia and Tanzania are willing to work closely with China to actively implement the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit, build the revitalization project into a model of jointly advancing modernization, enhance regional connectivity, promote industrial upgrading, green transformation, and economic growth along the route, improve people's well-being, and write a new chapter in building a China–Africa community with a shared future in the new era.
During the event, Li Qiang also held friendly exchanges with Tanzanian Vice President Mpango.
The governments of China, Tanzania, and Zambia jointly issued the Joint Statement on Working Together to Build the TAZARA Railway Prosperity Belt.
