Tanzania-Zambia railway serves as vital regional trade corridor for half a century

The Tanzania-Zambia Railway (TAZARA), which recently marked its 50th anniversary of commercial operation, has been serving as a vital transport corridor for regional trade, local officials said.

Built between 1970 and 1975 using an interest-free Chinese loan, the 1,860-kilometer railway connects Dar es Salaam on the Tanzanian coast to Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia.

The railway station in Dar es Salaam has set up a photo exhibition showcasing the memories of Chinese and African constructors working side by side more than half a century ago, paying tribute to the Chinese friends who came from afar.

"This rail line, which started operation in 1976, contributed a lot in development of various towns and cities in Tanzania. It passes through the areas where there is no other means of transport. It helped to move, beside the domestic traffic, the traffic from neighboring countries like Zambia, the DRC, and there was time we moved cargo from South Africa and Zimbabwe," said Fuad Abdallah, director of the Tanzania Division of TAZARA.

While boosting economic development in Africa, the project has also helped training local talents through vocational workshops, higher education partnerships, and hands-on technical programs.

Adili Rajab Mohammed, a transport and logistics student at the Dar es Salaam Institute of Technology, said his studies are driven by a desire to master the mechanics of rail‑sea intermodal systems.

"I'm here for learning about this to increase my knowledge, skills about this operation found in rail transportation. And my future ambition is, I want to be someone with the biggest knowledge about this movement of transportation to the world. These sectors are [more common since] the old days," he said.

The China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) and its subsidiary, the China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), launched a revitalization project for the railway in November last year, aiming to transform it into a new corridor of economic prosperity through smart upgrades using Chinese solutions, technologies and standards.

"It is an important logistical link, which will be used to transport the materials and commodities. Currently, TAZARA is under concession. And the Chinese company CCECC is going to operate this railway. New wagons are coming, new locomotives are coming, the efficiency is going to be improved. So, the cooperation between China and Tanzania -- and to be precise, for TAZARA -- is beneficial and something which we need to uphold and praise," said Sadiki Anthony Minja, deputy director of TAZARA.

Since May 1 this year, China has fully implemented a zero-tariff policy for the 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic relations, opening new pathways for African specialty products to enter the Chinese market.

Tanzania-Zambia railway serves as vital regional trade corridor for half a century

China will deepen the development and utilization of data resources and cultivate a group of innovative and dynamic data enterprises during the 15th Five-Year Plan period (2026-2030), an official from the National Data Administration said.

Speaking at a press conference held by the National Development and Reform Commission on Tuesday, Luan Jie, director of the Department of Policy and Planning at the National Data Administration, outlined the plan for developing the data industry over the five-year period. The newly established National Data Group will play a major role, she said.

"We will study and issue relevant policies and documents on the responsibility system for developing and utilizing public data resources, and explore establishing a revenue distribution mechanism for authorized public data operations. We will thoroughly implement the initiative to improve data efficiency at state-owned enterprises, especially by giving play to the National Data Group in data resource development and utilization, and cultivate a group of innovative and dynamic data enterprises," Luan said.

Data quality will also be a priority, the official said.

"We will strengthen the building of high-quality datasets, deepen pilot work on data annotation, build an industry expert network for annotation, and establish a special mechanism for cross-regional coordination to better empower the development of artificial intelligence," she added.

China to cultivate innovative, dynamic data enterprises during 15th Five-Year Plan period