(2009-9-29)

Q1. The reasons and ideals behind the revolution of 1949.

A: Thanks for the congratulations and the interview. The so-called Chinese revolution of 1949 is a sequence of revolutions breaking out in China since the first decade of last century. From 1840 onwards, China, a prosperous nation with glorious ancient civilization, had gradually declined to an impoverished semi-colonial, semi-feudal country, being bullied by the western powers. The ordinary Chinese people had ever since led a bitter life because of the combination of exploitation by the foreign powers and the ruling class who cared nothing but the selfish interest of their own. Domestic trouble and foreign invasion is the reason leading to the revolutions in the recent history of China.

The bourgeois initiated the revolution against feudalism and foreign invasion, their original ideal was to build an independent capitalist country to the benefit of the people. They, however, betrayed their original ideals and the people. That led to the birth of Chinese Communist Party, who sought to make the Chinese people master of their own country and their own fate and national rejuvenation.

Q2. The Secret behind the great success.

A: The secret behind China’s economic success is, first, China has embarked on a path of development that suits its national conditions; second, China has adopted policy of reform and opening up since late 1970s. Since you mentioned China is also a technology powerhouse, I would like to add one more point, that, China has also emphasized self-reliance in its effort to modernize its economy, especially in the field of technology. God helps those who help themselves.

Q3. The significant achievements of opening-up policy.

A: China has adopted the opening-up policy since the late 1970s. That is a path towards historical changes and unprecedented achievements, especially in term of social and economic development. With an average annual growth rate of 9.7%, China’s GDP has increased by 16 times in the past 30 years, jumping from 15th to the 3rd place in the world. China’s imports and exports have seen a 100-time increase during the same period, raising China from the 32nd to the 3rd largest trading nation. The Chinese people, once lacking basic living necessities, are now enjoying initial prosperity. China’s per capital GDP has grown by nearly 10 times, from US$226 to US$2,100. The poor rural population has dropped from over 250 million to about 10 million. China has successfully met the basic needs of its population, which accounts for 23% of the world total.

Q4. Finer details of China’s foreign policy.

A: Over thirty years of reform and opening-up, China’s relations with the world have undergone historic changes, its independent foreign policy of peace enables it to play a constructive role in world affairs. China always advocates for peace, development and cooperation. The fundamental goals of this policy are to preserve China’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, create a favorable international environment for China’s reform and opening up and modernization construction, maintain world peace and propel common development. The main content of this policy includes:

1. We are committed to following the path of peaceful development. We seek peaceful settlement of international disputes and hotspot issues and greater international and regional security cooperation.

2. We are committed to pursuing a win-win strategy of opening-up. We will work to broaden converging interests with other countries and, while pursuing our own development, we will accommodate the legitimate concerns of others, especially those of developing countries.

3.We are committed to building a harmonious world. We hold that all countries should uphold the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations, abide by international law and universally recognized norms governing international relations, and embrace a spirit of democracy, harmony, collaboration and win-win progress in international relations.

4. We are committed to developing friendly relations and cooperation with all countries on the basis of the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence. We will, as always, enhance solidarity and cooperation with other developing countries and deepen our traditional friendship with them.

Q5. Your assessment of the policy of strategic partnership with foreign partner states.

A: Currently, the international situation is undergoing major changes and adjustments. The ever deepening globalization has brought both rare opportunities to mankind and extensive challenges to the international community. New uncertainties have emerged in regional hotspot issues, impacting the evolution of international security situation. Global issues such as climate change, energy security, environmental degradation, worsening poverty, spread of communicable disease and proliferation of weapons of mass destruction are becoming increasingly acute.

All this shows that our world is becoming smaller and smaller and countries and peoples are getting closer to one another. As countries are more than ever interdependent with their interests closely interconnected, no one can expect to achieve true development and prosperity in isolation, or secure durable peace and stability on one’s own. These are the main reason leading to China’s strategic partnership with foreign states or state groups, including the strategic partnership between China and Africa featuring “political equality and mutual trust, economic win-win cooperation and cultural exchanges”. These partnerships may be insufficient, but are necessary for us to confront challenges together and pursue mutual benefit and win-win progress.

Q 6. How can China help its African partners step up their export levels?

In recent years, the trade relation between China and Africa has developed rapidly. In 2008, China-Africa trade volume stood at $106.8 billion with a year-on-year increase of over 30 % from 2000.

In 2008, China exported $50.84 billion to Africa with a year-on-year increase of 36.3% while Africa exported $56 billion to China, an increase of 54%. Actually, due to the accelerated pace of China's imports from Africa, pattern of bilateral trade between China and Africa has changed from surplus of $0.94 billion in 2007 to deficit of $5.16 billion in 2008.

The significant change of more African exports than Chinese exports is obviously resulted from the Chinese government’s different steps and policies to address the previous imbalance issue through according zero-tariff treatment, promoting Chinese investment in Africa countries, providing economic and technical co-operation and supplying technical training courses.

All of these policies are designed to enhance the competitiveness of African products and assist Africa develop processing and manufacturing industries so as to promote Africa’s exports to China. I think with the joint efforts, more and more competitive ‘made in Africa’ products will be introduced and enjoyed by Chinese people.

Q 7: Tanzania and China have been great friends since 1964 when the two countries established diplomatic relations. Tanzania is very thankful of Chinese assistance over the years. Major projects include the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Line, the Friendship Textile Mill and assistance in the agricultural, health and education sectors. What are your future plans and strategies to maintain the Sino-Tanzania ties?

A: China and Tanzania have been good friends for over 40 years. I’m quite satisfied and pleasant to see the healthy and steady development of the relation between two countries. China, according to its own strength and capability, made a lot of contributions to Tanzania’s social and economic development over years, especially in the sectors of infrastructure, agriculture, health and education. The medical team of China arrived in this country shortly after the diplomatic relation was established. They healed thousands of people here and provided them a large mount of medicine which was desperately wanted. Tanzania-Zambia Railway and the Friendship Textile Mill are also landmarks of Sino-Tanzania friendship. China’s policy and strategy to Tanzania haven’t changed today and China is going to create more and more such landmarks.

In the Beijing Summit FOCAC, eight measures on aid to Africa were proposed by Chinese side, including increasing the aid provided to Africa by doubling China’s 2006 assistance by 2009 and strengthening cooperation in areas such as human resource development, agriculture, medical care, social development and education. As to Tanzania, we are assisting in the construction of tree rural primary school, a cardiac surgery and treatment centre, a Malaria-prevention and Treatment Centre and an agricultural technology demonstration centre. Three technical cooperation projects including Tanzania-Zambia Railway, Chalinze Water Supply and National Stadium are going well. China has dispatched tree senior agricultural experts to the Ministry of Agriculture of Tanzania to provide support in the area of policy consultation, irrigation and agronomy. China will also dispatch some youth volunteers to Tanzanian by the end of this year to work in some colleges and schools where they will be able to provide their professional knowledge and increase the mutual understanding between two peoples. And China is also planning to help Tanzania build a national conference centre in the next one or two years.

I believe the friendly ties between two countries will get more and more steady in future.

Q 8. You have the largest population in the world; and yet you manage to feed your people. You have got ambitious agricultural production plans. In the wake of the global food crisis, China can export its food production technologies to the outside world, especially Africa. What are your comments on this?

A: As we know, there are more than 1.3 billion people in China, feeding Chinese people is one of the most persistent challenge faced by Chinese Government. After years of effort the issue has already been solved. Nowadays China not only provides enough foods to Chinese, but also exports agricultural products to the rest of world as the world's fourth largest trading nation. The Chinese government is willing to share China's successful experience with African countries.

To forge a new type of China-Africa strategic partnership and strengthen our cooperation in the field of agriculture within the framework of the FAO Special Program for Food Security, the Chinese government decided to dispatch senior agricultural experts to Africa and set up 10 special agricultural technology demonstration centers in Africa from 2007 to 2009 during the Beijing Summit of The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.

At present, more than 100 experts have already been dispatched to 35 African countries to help their governments formulate agricultural development plans, improve seed strains, pass on applicable agricultural technologies and managerial expertise, and train local technicians. Besides, smooth progress has been made in feasibility studies and designing for demonstration centers of agricultural technology in 10 African countries.

In addition, to meet Africa's needs, China is, since the Beijing Summit, conducting workshops for 49 African countries to train 10,000 African professionals in agriculture, business, education, health, science, technology and etc. by the end of 2009.

Q 9. Your views on Chinese assistance in the exploitation of Africa’s resources.

A: Resources cooperation between China and Tanzania will help Tanzania to realize sustainable development, China will facilitate information sharing and cooperation with Tanzania in resources development.

Despite their remarkable economic growth in recent years, Tanzania is still vulnerable in its economy as the majority of their exports are unprocessed raw materials, China will translate Tanzania's advantages in resources to competitive strength, and to realize sustainable development in Tanzania.

The Chinese government encourages and supports competent Chinese enterprises to cooperate with Tanzania in developing and exploiting rationally their resources. While the Chinese enterprises are involved in resources exploitation in Tanzania, they contribute to the continent's development at the same time. The investment has brought real benefits to people in Tanzania and the continent as a whole. China's cooperation with Tanzania is based on boosting sustainable development in Tanzania.

Q 10: Plans to enhance exchange programmes in sports, health, culture and education.

A: Just as you said, the two countries need to learn from each other. As for the exchange programmes, I can say, what we have done in the past years is very successful and we are going to take further steps to enhance such programmes:

1. In sports, we shall send youth volunteers to teach P.E. and invite some groups to learn Martial Arts in China.

2. In health, we will continue to send medical teams to Tanzania to help improve the medical conditions here，to build some hospitals and to provide aid to prevent and treat malaria.

3. In culture, with a view to further promoting the friendly relations, we will send more cultural delegations and arts troupes to Tanzania and invite more Tanzania cultural delegations and arts group to China; we will have a lot of exchange programmes, including the exchanges of art exhibition, exchanges and cooperation between artists, scholars, writers, and experts of the two countries.

4. In education, the Chinese government shall not only offer 100 scholarships to Tanzania each year during the following three years, but also provide a lot of chances for short-term training in China in various areas. This year 68 Tanzania students have got the scholarship to study in China. Meanwhile, we will help to build some schools in the rural areas.