People lay flowers at the tombstone of a Chinese expert at the Gongo la Mboto cemetery on the outskirts of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on April 2, 2025. [Photo/Xinhua]

China and Tanzania held a wreath-laying ceremony on Wednesday at the Gongo la Mboto cemetery on the outskirts of Dar es Salaam, honoring 70 Chinese experts who sacrificed their lives while constructing the Tanzania-Zambia Railway in the 1970s.

The commemoration coincided with the Qingming Festival, a traditional Chinese occasion for paying tribute to the deceased and remembering ancestors. Representatives from the Chinese Embassy in Tanzania, the Tanzanian government, various sectors of society, and the Chinese community attended the event.

Under a drizzling sky, the participants in dark suits solemnly reflected on the sacrifices by the Chinese experts and their lasting contributions to the economic and social development of Tanzania and Zambia.

"The governments of Tanzania and Zambia will forever remember the utmost sacrifice that the Chinese people gave during the construction of this railway line," said Tanzanian Deputy Minister for Transport David Kihenzile, noting that the project was fraught with challenges and dangers, requiring heroism and ingenuity from both Chinese and local Tanzanian and Zambian workers.

Tanzania-Zambia Railway Authority (TAZARA) Managing Director Bruno Ching'andu lauded the dedication of the Chinese experts, saying that their commitment made the railway's construction possible. "Their spirit endures in every train that runs. Their spirit endures in every ton of cargo moved," said Ching'andu.

Charge d'Affaires a.i. of the Chinese embassy in Tanzania Wang Yong described the fallen experts as heroes whose legacy continues to symbolize China-Tanzania and China-Africa friendship. They will live forever in the hearts of the Chinese and Tanzanian people, just as the TAZARA railway stands as a testament to their efforts, he said.

Wang emphasized that the TAZARA spirit embodies the essence of China-Africa relation and the common aspiration of the Chinese and African people, serving as a driving force for deepening China-Africa cooperation.

The TAZARA railway, known as the "Uhuru Railway" or "Independent Railway," was constructed as a turnkey project between 1970 and 1975 through an interest-free loan from China. Commercial operations started in July 1976, covering 1,860 km from Dar es Salaam in Tanzania to New Kapiri Mposhi in Zambia.