Passengers leave a train after arriving at the Dar Es Salaam station of Tanzania-Zambia Railway in Dar Es Salaam, capital of Tanzania, Feb. 14, 2019. (Xinhua/Lyu Shuai)

Chinese President Xi Jinping, Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan and Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema on Wednesday jointly witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on the revitalization project of the Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) railway.

Hassan and Hichilema are in Beijing for the 2024 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which is taking place from Wednesday to Friday.  

While meeting with Tanzania's Hassan on Wednesday, President Xi said that China is willing to take the summit as an opportunity to push for new progress in the revitalization project of the TAZARA railway and jointly improve the rail-sea intermodal transport network in East Africa. 

These efforts will help Tanzania become a demonstration zone for deepening high-quality Belt and Road cooperation between China and African countries, Xi said. 

The revitalization of the TAZARA railway holds important symbolic significance - it is not only a historical testament to traditional China-Africa friendship but also a key project in promoting regional connectivity in Africa, Song Wei, a professor at the School of International Relations and Diplomacy at Beijing Foreign Studies University, told the Global Times on Wednesday. 

The 1,860-km single-track railway was constructed through an interest-free loan from China and started operation in 1976. It links Dar es Salaam in Tanzania with New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia.  

Song noted that the TAZARA railway has played a crucial role in transporting copper from Zambia to Tanzania for export overseas, significantly contributing to the economic development of both countries. 

However, the railway has encountered poor management, aging infrastructure and reduced capacity over time, Song said.

China has discussed how to update the TAZARA railway and enhance its role in promoting Africa's development. With the signing of the MoU, the three countries can make further efforts in its revitalization, analysts said.

Some have proposed developing the TAZARA railway into a tourist project, which would not only attract visitors but also promote Africa's green economic development, providing new growth opportunities for local communities. 

Song said the TAZARA railway could serve as a pilot to explore how to achieve sustainable operation after a project was handed overed to African countries. 

In this way, the TAZARA railway could continue to serve as a bridge for China-Africa friendship while offering new momentum for Africa's economic development and China-Africa cooperation, Song said.