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Cablegate: China's Engagement in Tanzania

Published: Fri 12 Feb 2010 07:15 AM
VZCZCXRO1972
RR RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHJO RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHDR #0138 0430715
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 120715Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9410
INFO RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 1636
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 0164
RUEHLGB/AMEMBASSY KIGALI 1664
RUEHJB/AMEMBASSY BUJUMBURA 3187
RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0363
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS DAR ES SALAAM 000138
SIPDIS
AF/E FOR JTREADWELL, AF/RSA FOR LMAZEL, LGRIESMER, RBOWLES
TREASURY FOR REBECCA KLEIN
COMMERCE FOR ROBERT TELCHIN
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL EAID CN TZ MCC
SUBJECT: CHINA'S ENGAGEMENT IN TANZANIA
REF: A) STATE 10152 B) 09 DAR ES SALAAM 160
1. The deep and long-standing Tanzanian-Chinese relationship
continues to be characterized by significant trade, diplomatic
exchanges and Chinese assistance and investment in Tanzania.
Tanzania remains one of China's principal African trading partners
and assistance recipients. Ministerial visits in both directions
continue in the wake of President Hu Jintao's 2009 visit (ref b).
During Commerce Minister Chen Deming's January stop in Dar es
Salaam, China proposed new measures to enhance bilateral trade, such
as investment protection and avoidance of dual taxation. Chen and
Tanzanian counterpart Mary Nagu (Minister of Trade, Industry and
Manufacturing) celebrated the growing trade volume (over USD 1
billion in 2008, of which USD 933 million were Chinese exports) and
total Chinese direct investments in excess of USD 200 million.
2. Some highlights of Chinese assistance and investment in Tanzania
include:
-- Support for rehabilitation of the (Chinese-built) Tanzania Zambia
Railway Authority (TAZARA), through a pledge of USD 39 million in
soft loans and technical assistance on rail and port operations.
-- A pledge of USD 70 million to construct a second terminal at
Zanzibar International Airport.
-- Support for construction of Tanzania's national fiber backbone,
through USD 100 million in concessional loans. In 2008, China
provided USD 70 million for the first phase of the project,
implemented by Chinese company CITCC.
-- Chinese firms have been awarded a significant percentage of
construction projects for transportation infrastructure projects,
both donor and GOT-funded (see also para 3).
-- In January, Tanzania and China signed a five-year livestock and
fishing agreement to promote technology transfer and Chinese
investment in aquaculture and livestock projects.
-- There are also unconfirmed reports that China will provide USD
17.5 million for a new agricultural bank to support the GOT's
"Kilimo Kwanza" (Agriculture First) initiative.
3. There is no formal Mission coordination with the Chinese
Embassy. However, a Chinese company, Sino-Hydro, recently won a USD
53.8 million contract to construct a Millennium Challenge
Compact-financed 65 kilometer road between Tanga and Horohoro, on
the border with Kenya. Sino-Hydro and one other Chinese firm are
among ten pre-qualified companies eligible to bid on several other
MCC-financed road projects to be awarded in 2010.
4. Potential areas of U.S.-China bilateral cooperation in Tanzania
include food security and climate change mitigation.
LENHARDT
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