THE Chinese people often say, “A good start in spring is essential to a whole year.” Spring in China coincides with the rainy season in Tanzania, a season for flowers to bloom and for trees to grow. Every spring, China welcomes a key event on its political calendar—the National Two Sessions, namely the annual sessions of the National People’s Congress (NPC) and the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).

The year 2025 marks both the final year for concluding China’s 14th Five-Year Plan and a crucial year for further deepening reform comprehensively. This year’s National Two Sessions hold particular significance as they are the first Two Sessions following the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. At this pivotal juncture and critical year, China’s development path has drawn intense global attention. Through the development outline and policy signals emanating from the Two Sessions, nations worldwide have gained insights into enhanced opportunities for deepening cooperation with China.

The Government Report adopted at the Two Sessions has outlined the blueprint for this year’s economic development and various tasks, serving as a focal point of attention from all sectors. The report reviewed China’s development achievements over the past year, set a growth target of 5% for the Chinese economy in 2025, and further clarified tasks to expand high-standard opening-up. China will continue to empower the world through high-standard opening-up and provide new key impetus for global economic recovery and development. I would like to highlight the following aspects:

First, the economy has demonstrated strong resilience. Last year, China’s gross domestic product (GDP) rose to 134.9 trillion yuan (48,178.57trn/-), a year-on-year increase of 5%. China ranks among the world’s fastest -growing major economies, continuing to contribute about 30% to global economic growth, remaining the most powerful engine of global growth. Per capita disposable income grew by 5.1% in real terms, faster than the GDP growth. China has a huge market advantage, with a per capita GDP of over 12,000 US dollars and a middle-income group of over 400 million people. Resident’s service-oriented consumption accounted for 47% of total consumer spending, while the service sector achieved a growth rate exceeding 10%.

 This year, China will also issue ultra-long special treasury bonds totaling 300 billion yuan to support consumer goods trade-in programs. The rising consumption capacity of Chinese residents has bolstered global exports of premium products. High-quality Tanzanian agricultural products such as honey, avocados and chili peppers showcased at the China International Import Expo (CIIE), have reached Chinese households. This not only diversifies consumers’ choices in China but also generates tangible benefits for Tanzanian communities, further solidifying the outcomes of China-Tanzania economic and trade cooperation.

Second, new quality productive forces have demonstrated robust momentum, with remarkable highlights emerging across multiple sectors. As Foreign Minister Wang Yi remarked at the Two Sessions press conference, China’s confidence comes from China’s super-sized market and huge domestic demand, from China’s robust industries and innovative drive, and more importantly from China’s institutional strength and reform and opening up. China’s development of new quality productive forces has accelerated markedly, with emerging and future industries registering initial success. Groundbreaking innovations in AI Deepseek have captured global attention, while the Chang’e-6 probe achieved humanity’s first-ever sample return from the far side of the Moon, and the Dream ocean drilling vessel was officially commissioned.

 The installed capacity of renewable energy surged by 370 million kilowatts, now accounting for over 50% of the nation’s total power generation capacity. In 2024, China vigorously supported scientific and technological innovation and advanced manufacturing development, delivering tax and free reductions and rebates exceeding 2.5 trillion yuan throughout the year. The R&D intensity reached 2.68%, surpassing the average level of EU countries, while China climbed to the 11th position in the Global Innovation Index, marking the fastest improvement in innovation capacity globally over the past decade. As people often say, “The next China is still China.” The Chinese miracle of unprecedented high-speed growth will be followed by even more remarkable high-quality development. The vibrant momentum of innovation will further expand the space for China’s domestic development and international cooperation, creating more opportunities for win-win collaboration across the globe.

Third, China will provide certainty to this uncertain world. Just as Foreign Minister Wang Yi stressed to the press, today, unilateralism is on the rise, power politics runs rampant, and certainty is becoming a scarce resource. The choices made by countries, especially major countries, will determine the trajectory of our times and shape the future of the world. China’s diplomacy will stand firm on the right side of history and on the side of human progress. China will provide certainty to this uncertain world. We will be a just and righteous force for the world peace and stability,and will continue to expand our global partnerships featuring equality, openness and cooperation. 

The Government Work Report outlined that China will expand higher-standard opening up and advance unilateral opening up in a well-ordered way, so as to promote reform and development through greater openness. China will deepen multilateral, bilateral, and regional economic cooperation. China will resolutely safeguard the WTO-centered multilateral trading system, broaden converging interests with other countries,and promote shared development. China will strive for solid progress in pursuing high-quality Belt and Road cooperation,and improve the layout of international cooperation in industrial and supply chains. China will advance both major signature projects and “small and beautiful” public wellbeing projects to address bottlenecks such as inadequate infrastructure, insufficient technological capabilities, and limited market access for the Global South.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of FOCAC and the beginning of implementing the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit. China stands ready to work with African countries to deliver on the ten partnership actions for China and Africa to jointly advance modernization, including supporting Africa in accelerating its industrialization and agricultural modernization, implementing zero-tariff treatment for 100% tariff lines, fostering new growth drivers like digital, green and AI industries, promoting 1,000 “small and beautiful” livelihood projects, enhancing governance experience sharing and raising the representation and voice of Africa in international affairs. 

The high-quality development of the Chinese economy has provided sustained momentum for China-Tanzania cooperation. China is expected to be the largest trading partner of Tanzania for 9 consecutive years. China is also the largest source of foreign investment in Tanzania. The construction of major projects such as the fifth and sixth lots of the Central Standard Gauge Railway, the Nyerere Hydropower Station, and the Magufuli Bridge by Chinese enterprises in Tanzania is steadily advancing, making important contributions to the improvement of Tanzania’s infrastructure and investment environment. 

This year we will witness the 50th Anniversary of the completion of the TAZARA Railway, which holds a special place in the history of China-Africa relations and South-South cooperation. At present, China, Tanzania and Zambia are jointly advancing market-oriented revitalization cooperation for the TAZARA, which will create more opportunities for shared development in the future. We are confident that China and Tanzania, as true brothers and partners through thick and thin, will continue to deepen our comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership under the guidance of head-of-state diplomacy, and join hands on the path to modernization.

Chen Mingjian is the Chinese Ambassador to Tanzania