South Centre Chairperson Holds Meeting with President of China 

The Chairperson of the Board of the South Centre, former President of Tanzania H.E. Benjamin Mkapa, has met with the new President of China H.E. Xi Jinping, when he visited Tanzania.  The meeting took place on 25 March in Dar Es Salaam.

President Mkapa briefed President Xi on the work of the South Centre and asked for China’s participation and support for expanding South-South cooperation with the South Centre.

According to a report from China’s Xinhua news agency:

“Xi spoke highly of Mkapa’s efforts as the South Center chairman in promoting South-South cooperation and increasing representation of the developing countries, adding that China is willing to continue to provide help within its capability to the South Center.

“Mkapa said he has visited China many times, and could, on each visit, witness the development that China has achieved, which has fortified his determination to explore a development path that fits the basic situation of his country.

“He also hailed President Xi’s visit to Tanzania as a new milestone in bilateral ties, which will vigorously enhance bilateral cooperation.

“Mkapa promised that he would continue to contribute to the development of Tanzania-China relations and that the South Center would like to strengthen its cooperation with China.”

The South Centre believes that this meeting will greatly contribute to the further cooperation between the South Centre and China.

The meeting of President Xi and Chairman Mkapa was also highlighted on prime time TV in China (in the TV station CCTV) in the 7pm news of that day.

Xinhua News Agency Report of the Meeting between Chinese President and South Centre Chairperson

DAR ES SALAAM, March 25 (Xinhua) — Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday met separately with Ali Mohamed Shein, leader of Tanzania’s Zanzibar, and former Tanzanian President Benjamin William Mkapa.

In a meeting with Mkapa, President Xi praised the former Tanzanian president as an old friend of China, as well as an advocate and a witness of the China-Africa and China-Tanzania friendship.

Thanks to the joint efforts by generations of leaders from both countries, the China-Tanzania all-weather friendship has enjoyed constant development, said Xi.

The Chinese President believed that with concerted efforts from both sides, the bilateral comprehensive cooperative partnership based on mutual benefit and win-win results would undoubtedly move forward.

Mkapa, who served as president of Tanzania from 1995 to 2005, is currently chairman of the South Center, an intergovernmental organization of developing countries with its headquarters in Geneva.

Xi spoke highly of Mkapa’s efforts as the South Center chairman in promoting South-South cooperation and increasing representation of the developing countries, adding that China is willing to continue to provide help within its capability to the South Center.

Mkapa said he has visited China many times, and could, on each visit, witness the development China has achieved, which has fortified his determination to explore a development path that fits the basic situation of his country.

He also hailed President Xi’s visit to Tanzania as a new milestone in bilateral ties, which will vigorously enhance bilateral cooperation.

Mkapa promised that he would continue to contribute to the development of Tanzania-China relations and that the South Center would like to strengthen its cooperation with China.