"Poly chose Tanzania as its first stop in 'going global' and established a partnership with Tanzania Sunshine Group. Meanwhile, Poly Chemical Holding Corporation and Poly Sunshine Chemical & Mining Services have been registered in Tanzania."

The China Tanzania Belt & Road Mining Investment Forum is held on Dec 10, 2018 at the Westin Hotel in Beijing. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Those words were spoken by Zhang Xi, deputy general manager of Civil Explosive Sector of China Poly Group Corporation, at the China Tanzania Belt & Road Mining Investment Forum on Dec 10. Zhang went on to note that Poly Group will continue to enhance cooperation in explosives for civil use and accelerate development in the culture and jewelry businesses.

Zhang Xi, deputy general manager of the Civil Explosive Sector of China Poly Group, delivers a speech at the forum. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Hosted by the Embassy of the United Republic of Tanzania in China and the Tanzania Ministry of Minerals, and co-organized by Sunshine Group Poly Chemical Holding Corporation and Poly Sunshine Chemical & Mining Services, the forum was conceived in light of China’s Belt and Road Initiative and aims to enhance China-Tanzanian business collaboration.

Angellah Kairuki, minister of minerals of the United Republic of Tanzania, speaks at the forum. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

At the forum, official delegates from the Tanzanian government discussed the country’s investment and business environment, its laws and regulations pertaining to mining, its geological survey of mineral resources, and mining investment cooperation opportunities.

Besides, Poly Sunshine Chemical and Mining Services, China Poly Group's joint venture company in civil explosive businesses, signed a Memorandum of Cooperation with STAMICO.

Poly Sunshine Chemical and Mining Services signs a Memorandum of Cooperation with STAMICO [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

H.E. Mbelva Keruki, the Tanzanian Ambassador to China, said that after the 2018 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and the first China International Import Expo, Tanzania began actively seeking investment cooperation with China.

Other guests attending the forum included senior officials from the Tanzania Investment Center and other mining agencies in the Tanzania government. Representatives from large mining enterprises, mining machinery and equipment suppliers, mining engineering service suppliers and mining investors of Tanzania and China also attended the forum.

Tanzania, located in East Africa with a population of 53.5 million and a land area of 945,000 square kilometers, is the fourth most resource-rich country in Africa.

Over the past 10 years, Tanzania’s mining industry has experienced rapid development. Currently, China is the largest source of investment in Tanzania, with a large number of enterprises involved in the country’s infrastructure and manufacturing industries. Among them is Poly Chemical Holding Corporation (POLYCHEM), which is engaged in international cooperation and overseas businesses in the fields of civilian explosive materials and blasting services.