By CCTV correspondent Jane Kiyo

The two-day state visit, described as a trip of friendship and inheritance, is significant for China and Tanzania, whose close ties go back 50 years.

At the heart of Dar Es salaam, the Julius Nyerere International convention Centre, yet another towering symbol of a long standing relationship built on what they say is a solid foundation . The 30 million dollar ultra-modern centre to be used for conferences and exhibitions was sponsored by the government of China and will be inaugurated by Xi Jin ping during his maiden visit to Africa as president of China.

Bernard Membe, Tanzanian Foreign Minister, said, “The visit marks nothing but excellent relationship between the two countries.”

China and Tanzania enjoy strong cordial relations, and by making this his second stop in his first foreign trip since officially taking office, President Xi Jinping has further underlined Tanzania’s importance as a strategic ally in Africa.

And it’s a friendship that dates back close to 50 years through their forefathers. Greatest monument of the relation is the 1,800 kilometer Tanzania-Zambia Railway (Tazara) built by China in the 1970s. The project was made possible through the shared ideologies of Mwalimu Julius Nyerere and China’s revolutionary leader Chairman Mao Zedong .One of the factors that made the rail line urgent was that newly-independent Zambia had a hard time transporting exports and imports via the Indian Ocean through Zimbabwe, which was still under colonial rule.

Currently China-aided projects in Tanzania cover various sectors including agriculture, medical, health and education…President Xi’s visit widely described as a trip of friendship and inheritance is expected to broaden and boost this co-operation with the signing of several bilateral agreements and map out future prospects

Bernard Membe, Tanzanian Foreign Minister, said, "The Chinese have dedicated themselves to empower Tanzania."

President XI Jin ping will also tour Congo and South Africa