Hello! My Chinese friend! "Engineer Stanley Simushi greeted reporters in standard Chinese on the tracks of the New Kapirim Poxi Station in Zambia's Central Province, warmly like a long lost old friend. We are replacing a section of track inside the station with new sleepers. ”Ximuxi pointed to a group of busy colleagues in the distance and said. Workers were using tools such as socket wrenches and pry bars to remove rail fasteners and spikes one by one, move the rails away, and replace them with brand new sleepers. The New Kapirim Poxi Station is the terminal station of the Tanzania Zambia Railway. The Tanzania Zambia Railway starts from the port city of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania in the east and ends here in the west, with interest free loans provided by the Chinese government for construction assistance. On July 14, 1976, a ceremony was held at this station to warmly celebrate the official handover of the railway to the governments of Tanzania and Zambia for operation. The reporter saw a monument at the end of the Tanzania Zambia Railway in the station: 1860.54369 kilometers. This number, which marks the total length of the railway, was written by over 50000 Chinese engineering designers and construction workers over a period of 5 years and 8 months, with sweat, blood, and even lives, working side by side with the people of Tanzania and Zambia. Let me take you to the garage to see if there are locomotives made in China. ”Jackson Masses, a train driver who has been working at the station for 20 years, led reporters along the tracks to the end of the station. There are locomotives from China, the United States, and South Africa here, but locomotives made in China are the best, with strong power and high reliability. ”Marcel said. In the driver's cab, Marcel and his colleagues enthusiastically introduced the control console, electrical cabinet, and other equipment to the reporter. Look! There are Chinese signs here, "he pointed to the nameplate on the control panel -" Beijing Dongfeng Locomotive Electrical Factory. The station master, Mukololo Chanda, said, "What impressed me the most was when I worked on the TAZARA Railway passenger train and saw how the railway brought convenience and vitality to the lives of residents along the line. I have many Chinese friends, and the railway is not only a means of transportation, but also deepened our friendship." On November 12th, two locals visited the TAZARA Railway Memorial Hall at the TAZARA Railway Memorial Park in Zambia. Xinhua News Agency reporter Peng Lijun's photo of China's contributions is still remembered at the Tanzan Railway Memorial Park. This memorial park is located about 20 kilometers northeast of the city center of Lusaka, the capital of Zambia. Amidst lush forests, it solemnly preserves the shared memories of the people of China, Zambia, and Central Africa. Every time I step here, my heart is always deeply touched. ”Tobias Lingwehi, a staff member of the memorial park, said, "Those young Chinese people, far away from their hometowns, built railways for our country. They are true friends of the Zambian people." In the Tanzania Zambia Railway and related cooperation projects, a total of 69 Chinese aid workers sacrificed their precious lives, 18 of whom were buried in Zambia. The memorial park displays the tools, daily necessities, and precious images used by the builders in the past, with black and white photos capturing the arduous and remarkable years of struggle. Ling Weixi arrives at the memorial park at 8 o'clock every morning on time and cleans the park with his colleagues. He said that this is not just a job, but also a responsibility. I hope more young people can learn about this touching history and understand why the friendship between China and Zambia is so deep. Since the opening of the park, we have received many visiting groups, including students from various schools. Of course, there are also many Chinese friends. Nearly half a century later, this "steel road" that carries the deep friendship between China and Zambia and Tanzania has also ushered in a new round of upgrading and revitalization. On September 4, 2024, the heads of state of China, Tanzania, and Zambia jointly witnessed the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on the Tanzania Zambia Railway Activation Project. Signing a memorandum of understanding will open the door to Africa in logistics, trade, and market access. Our product and service manufacturers can enter different markets. This is not only beneficial for Tanzania, Zambia, and China, but also for the region and the world as a whole. ”Zambian President Hicklema said at the time. With the advancement of the activation project, the freight capacity of the Tanzania Zambia Railway is expected to increase to 2.4 million tons per year, and the transportation time of goods may be shortened by nearly two-thirds. On November 12th, several locals visited the Tanzania Zambia Railway Memorial Hall at the Tanzania Zambia Railway Memorial Park. Xinhua News Agency reporter Peng Lijun photographed Zambia's Minister of Transport and Logistics Frank Tayali, who recently stated that the revitalization of the Tanzania Zambia railway is consistent with the Zambian government's vision of building a "land linked country", which will make Zambia a logistics and distribution hub in central and southern Africa. The TAZARA Railway, hailed as the 'Road to Freedom', will become an engine for promoting regional trade, creating employment, and sharing prosperity. This is the platform of the New Kapirim Poxi Station in Zambia captured on November 14th. Peng Lijun, a reporter from Xinhua News Agency, photographed Bruno Chinandou, director of the Tanzania Zambia Railway Bureau, and said that after the Tanzania China and Zambia China relations have been upgraded to a comprehensive strategic partnership, the Tanzania Zambia Railway will play a more important role in the future - not only in transportation, but also as a key link for regional connectivity and the joint construction of "the Belt and Road" cooperation. Qian Da, who has been serving on the Tanzania Zambia Railway for 37 years, told reporters, "I will retire next year. In a few years, when the Tanzania Zambia Railway activation project is completed, I will take my family on a brand new train and travel all the way to Dar es Salaam