By Mariatou Ngum and Abdou Mbye
Permanent Secretary of the Office of the Vice President, Mr. Musa Mbye, has described the recent cultural and development tour of Tianjin as a highly impressive and eye-opening experience, drawing direct lessons from China’s development model that he believes The Gambia can learn and benefit from.
Mr. Mbye was speaking to OVP media following a comprehensive tour of Tianjin undertaken by His Excellency Vice President Mohammed B.S. Jallow, accompanied by his delegation and staff of the Gambian Embassy in China. The tour covered several landmark sites, including the Tianjin Cultural Center, the Smart Port Zero Carbon Terminal, the Tianjin Eco-City, the Tianjin Light Industry Vocational Technical College, and the historic Tianjin Ancient Culture Street.
In his interview, Mr. Mbye was unequivocal in his assessment of the visit. “It is a very good visit and one fundamental principle is the preservation of their culture and that is their identity, and I think that is really a lesson for all of us to learn from,” he said.
The Permanent Secretary took time to reflect on each site visited, highlighting the practical takeaways for The Gambia. Starting with the Tianjin Exhibition Hall, Mr. Mbye noted the breadth and quality of what was on display as a testament to China’s development journey. He was equally struck by the Smart Port Zero Carbon Terminal, describing it as a model of modern efficiency. “You could see workers are only at the control room. You will see the way work is being done there and I think it is really very impressive and is something we can definitely learn from,” he said.
The Tianjin Eco-City also drew the PS’s admiration, which he described as another impressive area from which a great deal can be learnt. He noted its model of sustainable urban development as particularly relevant for growing African cities.
However, it was the Tianjin Light Industry Vocational Technical College that Mr. Mbye singled out with the greatest enthusiasm, connecting it directly to one of The Gambia’s most pressing national priorities.
“This is where I am very much particular about and interested, and that is why I asked this question,” he said. “Looking at our demographic weight of our youth community back home and the amount of skills demand and need, I think this college could be a good opportunity for us to see how we can collaborate, for example the Luban Workshop and other areas such as robotic developments.”
The Luban Workshop, a Chinese government initiative to establish vocational training centres in partner countries, has been recognised globally as an effective model for transferring technical skills and industrial knowledge to developing nations.
On the question of educational opportunities, Mr. Mbye delivered encouraging news, confirming that China has increased the number of scholarships available for Gambian youth and technocrats to come to China and build their capacity.
“We will engage the Chinese Embassy for further collaboration to see how much we can benefit from this,” he added.
The tour forms part of Vice President Jallow’s ongoing visit to China and reflects the Gambian government’s continued commitment to strengthening bilateral relations with the People’s Republic of China. The visit to Tianjin, one of China’s most historically significant cities, provided the delegation with a firsthand appreciation of the country’s cultural preservation efforts, technological advancements, and community development achievements.
The Gambia and China have maintained strong diplomatic and development ties, and engagements such as this visit are expected to further deepen cooperation in education, trade, technology, and culture between the two nations.