China, Tanzania pledge to align development strategies

Tanzania and China have committed to synergizing the implementation of development strategies to boost common development, according to a joint press communique released on Saturday.

The communique was issued after talks between the foreign ministers of Tanzania and China in Dar es Salaam. Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and foreign minister, visited Tanzania on Friday and Saturday, during which he met with his counterpart, Mahmoud Thabit Kombo.

The two ministers spoke highly of the traditional friendship between China and Tanzania, which is built on trust and mutual respect, said the communique.

Noting with satisfaction the fruitful outcomes of China-Tanzania relations and friendly cooperation over the past six decades, they are committed to the practical implementation of the consensus reached by the two heads of state to further elevate the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to new heights.

China reiterated its full confidence in Tanzania’s leadership and institutions to manage internal affairs independently, the communique said, while Tanzania reaffirmed its unwavering commitment to supporting the one-China principle and reiterated its consistent position of recognizing that there is but one China in the world and respecting China’s national unity and territorial integrity, underscoring that any form of secession is unacceptable.

The two countries have committed to synergizing the implementation of development strategies, agreed to further expand two-way investment and trade, and reaffirmed their commitment to further fostering a fair and enabling business environment on both sides.

The two sides agreed to jointly host activities related to the 2026 China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges and to expand cooperation in areas such as culture, tourism, education, public health, sports, youths, think tanks and media, so as to solidify public support for China-Tanzania friendship, the communique said.

Stressing that the two countries welcomed the smooth commencement of the TAZARA Railway revitalization project and expressed their readiness to support its implementation, the communique said that the two sides are exploring the possibility of organizing a high-level TAZARA Railway Prosperity Belt meeting in the near future.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called on the organization’s member states to respect international law in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest remarks that he doesn’t need international law.

Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for the secretary-general, said at a press conference on Friday that the UN chief’s reaction to Trump’s remarks “is to redouble his message to all member states to respect the international law they themselves created”.

In an interview with The New York Times on Wednesday, Trump declared that his global power is constrained only by his “own morality”, saying it’s the only thing that can stop him.

When asked whether his administration needs to abide by international law, Trump said he would be the arbiter when such constraints applied to the United States.

“It depends what your definition of international law is,” he said.

The New York Times report said Trump’s assessment of his own freedom to use any instrument of military, economic or political power to cement American supremacy was the most blunt acknowledgment yet of his worldview. At its core is the concept that national strength, rather than laws, treaties and conventions, should be the deciding factor as powers collide.

The United States launched a large-scale military operation against Venezuela in the early hours of Jan 3, taking by force Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife.

Maduro made his first court appearance on Jan 5 in New York, during which he pleaded not guilty to all U.S. charges.

Amid tensions with Venezuela, Trump has claimed the United States absolutely needs Greenland, saying he might try “hard ways” to take over the island, which has a strategically critical position and rich resources.

The latest U.S. moves have drawn worldwide condemnation for its violation of Venezuela’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and international law.