Overseas Chinese in Tanzania celebrate upcoming Spring Festival

DAR ES SALAAM, Feb. 6 (Xinhua) -- Overseas Chinese in Tanzania celebrated the upcoming Spring Festival, or Chinese Lunar New Year, at a reception on Monday night.

The reception was held at the Chinese embassy in the port city of Dar es Salaam, where invited Tanzanians mingled with their Chinese friends, reflecting the long-standing friendship between the two countries.

Chen Mingjian, Chinese ambassador to Tanzania, said the Lunar New Year, an important family reunion occasion, is a common memory of Chinese people at home and abroad and an important part of traditional Chinese culture.

"It carries peace, friendship, harmony and other concepts of Chinese civilization, as well as the common expectations of all humanity for reunion, happiness, contentment and well-being," said Chen.

Chen paid tribute to all overseas Chinese in Tanzania for firmly supporting the great cause of peaceful reunification of the motherland, promoting the building of a powerful country and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, boosting local economic development, and making positive contributions to promoting China-Tanzania friendship and practical cooperation.

Anna Makakala, Tanzania's commissioner general of immigration, thanked the Chinese government for assisting Tanzania in building the capacity of the immigration services and providing technological support to enable the immigration services to meet the required standards.

Albert Chalamila, Dar es Salaam regional commissioner, expressed his gratitude to the Chinese community in Tanzania for their long-term contribution to the economic and social development of the Dar es Salaam region and Tanzania as a whole.

The reception was also attended by members of the diplomatic corps from various countries, senior government officials, and academicians.

The 2024 Spring Festival will fall on Feb. 10, kicking off the Year of the Dragon.