Tanzania to attend ASEAN expo

The China-ASEAN Expo will welcome Tanzania as a special partner of the upcoming 15th expo, a Tanzanian diplomat announced on Monday in Beijing.

It will be the first time for an African country to participate in the annual gathering hosted by China and 10 countries from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

This year's event will be held from Sep 12 to 15 in Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region.

Mbelwa Kairuki, Tanzania's ambassador to China, said the participation of an African country is a clear indication of China's commitment to the continent.

He said the country hopes to promote trade between Tanzania and China as well as ASEAN countries, and to attract more investment and promote tourism and related investment projects.

Seif Ali Iddi, a Tanzanian parliamentarian who once served as ambassador to China in the 1990s, will lead the team and attend the event, according to Kairuki.

Yang Yanyan, deputy secretary-general of the China-ASEAN Expo, said the invitation to Tanzania will promote exchanges and cooperation and help incorporate the Belt and Road Initiative with Tanzania's second five-year development plan.

Yang said the expo will arrange a series of exhibitions and forums to help Tanzania introduce its investment environment and policies, promote its investment projects and try to combine its economic advantages with those of China and ASEAN countries.

Yang also said the event will give Tanzania a platform to fully display its national image and international influence, as the committee will provide a 180-square-meter area to showcase Tanzania's advantages and to display local specialties, such as coffee, tea and honey.

Tanzania is one of the first African countries to support and participate in the Belt and Road Initiative.