Development and characteristics of China’s foreign aid: The Tanzania-Zambia railway

Abstract

The construction of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway (TAZARA) was based on a major decision made by earlier Chinese leaders from the perspective of diplomatic strategy in the context of the Cold War, and is a historical testimony to the mutual help and mutual benefits between China and African countries. The Railway has a history of more than 50 years from its proposal to technical cooperation. It has witnessed the African people’s determination for independence (the “Railway of Freedom”), changed the lives of people along the railway line (the “Railway to Prosperity”), and demonstrated the strength of both Pan-African and China-Africa cooperation (the “Railway of Friendship”). The TAZARA is China’s largest and most representative foreign aid project so far. It has witnessed the important development stages and different management systems of China’s foreign aid, and is a valuable case for the study of the history, development, and characteristics of China’s foreign aid.