China’s top diplomat, Wang Yi, has warned against what Beijing called “foreign interference” in Tanzania, congratulating President Samia Suluhu Hassan’s government for the “successful conduct” of the country’s recent elections despite lingering international controversy over the vote and a deadly post-election crackdown.
In a statement issued at the end of his official visit, Wang said China had “full confidence” in Tanzania’s leadership and institutions to manage the country’s internal affairs independently, a line widely read as a rebuttal to Western criticism following the disputed polls.
Tanzania’s October legislative and presidential elections returned Hassan to office with 98% of the vote, after her main challengers were excluded from the race. Opposition figures and rights advocates have alleged extensive irregularities and say security forces carried out lethal crackdowns during unrest that followed the vote—claims the Tanzanian authorities have rejected.
Wang’s visit is part of China’s annual early-year Africa tour, a long-running diplomatic tradition used to signal Beijing’s strategic priorities on the continent. Tanzania is a key partner in China’s economic and infrastructure footprint in East Africa, and analysts say it is central to Beijing’s interest in transport links that connect the region to mineral supply chains further inland.
Chinese investment in Tanzania has expanded in recent years, including activity in the country’s special economic zones. Tanzanian foreign ministry figures referenced in reports this week said 343 Chinese-funded projects valued at about $3.1 billion were registered in 2025 alone, underscoring the scale of China’s commercial presence.
The Tanzanian stop followed Wang’s earlier engagements in Ethiopia and comes as his itinerary also includes Lesotho—where China has positioned itself as a supporter of expanded market access for developing countries at a time of trade tensions linked to U.S. tariff policy.
Wang had been expected to make a rare visit to Somalia during the tour, but the trip was postponed, according to Somali and Chinese statements, amid heightened regional diplomacy in the Horn of Africa.
