South Africa's The Citizen published on 27 March 2024 an article titled "China, Tanzania Set to Mark 60 Years of Naval Cooperation" by Jacob Mosenda.
Tanzania and China are marking the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations with the visit of the 45th Chinese naval task group (guided-missile destroyer Urumqi, guided-missile frigate Linyi, and supply ship Dongpinghu), which recently completed its anti-piracy rotation in the Gulf of Aden. Describing the China-Africa relationship, the article noted that China is Tanzania's largest trade partner and source of foreign direct investment.
Comment: It is true that China is Tanzania's largest trade partner and in 2022 was its largest source of foreign direct investment. The Chinese ambassador to Tanzania pointed out that in 2023 China-Tanzania trade reached $8.8 billion. What was left unsaid is the fact that this trade consists overwhelmingly of Chinese exports to Tanzania, leaving Dar es Salaam with a huge trade deficit. In 2022, for example, Tanzania's exports to China totaled only $535 million. Until 2021, the United Kingdom was the largest source of Tanzania's FDI; China passed the UK in 2022.
Before arriving at the port of Dar es Salaam, China's 45th naval task force participated with the Russian and Iranian navies in the 5th iteration of the trilateral naval exercise in the Gulf of Oman. Military Africa reported the engagement on 18 March 2024 in an article titled "South Africa Observes as Russia, China, and Iran Hold Naval Drill" by Sarah Lesedi.
