China will join efforts with Tanzania to continuously strengthen and expand the time-tested friendly relations between the two countries, a senior official of the Communist Party of China (CPC) said in Dares Salaam Wednesday morning.

Li Changchun, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee, made the remark when holding talks with Philip Mangula, general secretary of the ruling Revolutionary Party of Tanzania.　

Li said China and Tanzania has maintained a close relationship though the two countries are far apart. This time, he headed a CPC delegation to pay a goodwill visit to Tanzania in order to enhance mutual understanding, reinforce friendship, exchange experience and deepen cooperation, he said.

He spoke highly of the achievements that Tanzania and other African countries made in advancing social and economic development.

He said since African countries and their peoples are at a critical stage in all-round national construction and in the process of exploring development routes that suit to their different specific national conditions, China is ready to join hands with the African countries to seize the opportunities to promote China-Africa cooperation and South-South cooperation to a new level.　

He expressed the confidence that under the leadership of the Revolutionary Party of Tanzania, the Tanzanian people will surely be able to cope with various challenges and create a better future. China will as always work with Tanzania to continuously consolidate and expand their time-tested friendship, he added.　

On the relations between the CPC and the Revolutionary Party of Tanzania, Li said both parties are ruling parties in their own countries. The relations between the two parties have withstood the test of times and kept vitality.

He thanked Tanzania for giving long-term support to China on such issues as Taiwan. He emphasized that the CPC is willing to further strengthen exchanges and cooperation with the Revolutionary Party of Tanzania.    

He put forward four suggestions on further strengthening the friendly exchanges and cooperation between the two political parties.

First, he said the two parties should maintain high-level contact so as to further enhance mutual understanding and political trust between their leaders.

Secondly, the two parties should strengthen exchange of experience on administration and governing the country and learn from each other, he said.

Thirdly, he said the two parties should carry out personnel exchanges by exploring new ways and new forms in this respect.

Fourthly, Li said the two parties should continue to explore new areas of party-to-party cooperation that will help advance bilateral trade and economic cooperation.

Mangula warmly welcomed Li and the CPC delegation to visit Tanzania. He said the visit will push the friendly bilateral relations that established by older generations of leadership of the two countries to a new era.　

Mangula agreed with Li's comment on the relations between the two countries and between the Revolutionary Party and CPC. He highly praised the four suggestions that Li put forward on advancing exchanges between the two political parties.　

He said the Revolutionary Party attaches great importance to exchanges and cooperation with the CPC. He said his party is ready to work with the CPC to explore new mechanisms and arrangements for deepening their relations.　

He reiterated that Tanzania will continue to stick to the one-China policy. He expressed the wish that the Chinese people will realize the reunification of their motherland on an early date.

Li arrived in Dare Salaam Tuesday evening for a two-day goodwill visit to Tanzania.

(Xinhua News Agency November 24, 2005)