China-Kenya co-operation can only get better

As we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China, I hail the ongoing and robust China-Kenya relations. Just as China has come afar, the 56-year-old partnership has overcome many challenges along the way and is headed to even greater heights. In modern history, both China and Kenya have conquered the past and were subjected to aggression and colonisation by Western powers. On October 1, 1949, chairman Mao Zedong proclaimed the founding of the People’s Republic of China. During that year, Jomo Kenyatta, Kenya’s founding president, was leading the Mau Mau movement and the Kenyan people on the road to national sovereignty. After Kenya gained independence in 1963, China and Kenya established diplomatic ties a few days later. In 1978, China adopted the reform and opening-up strategy, and signed a trade agreement with Kenya. Over the past 70 years, China has risen from a struggling agriculture-based economy to the world’s second largest economy. Trade and economic cooperation between China and Kenya has also reached unprecedented levels. Since I was accredited to Kenya in March, I have felt the depth and width of China-Kenya friendship. I am touched most by some simple comments, such as “with your projects you’ve never disappointed us”, on a post of the Embassy’s Facebook page, which is about a Chinese company successfully completing the transmission line for the Lake Turkana Wind Power Plant within a record six months, hailed by the Kenya government as the “Engineering Magic in Kenya’s History”. I am delighted to hear stories of how Chinese companies actively leveraged their equipment and human resources to help local communities. For instance China Wu Yi invested over $20,000 and 508 hours of labour to build six water ponds to help about 3,000 residents secure water supply for their household, farming, and animal husbandry uses. China International Water and Electric Corporation built water reservoirs and donated diesel-powered pumps and generators to benefit 1,200 residents in Bubisa, Marsabit county. I am impressed to learn that even Kenyan staff in Chinese companies are also involved in community service. China Communication Construction Company set up a free medical camp in Suswa, providing free examination and medication to about 1,000 people of the Maasai communities. Indeed, the strong and fruitful China-Kenya partnership is vividly demonstrated by over 100 major projects developed with joint efforts from both countries in the last 56 years. Some of the most outstanding projects over this period include the Moi International Stadium in Nairobi, the Thika Superhighway, the Mombasa to Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) and the Nairobi to Naivasha SGR which will be launched soon. Other major projects invested by the Chinese side include laying of high-speed internet connectivity by Huawei, promoting industrial upgrading, job creation for Kenyans, and contributing to sustainable community livelihoods. For years, China has been one of Kenya’s top trading partners, and a major source of foreign direct investment. Today, there are more than 400 Chinese businesses operating in Kenya, creating nearly 130,000 jobs for the local people. These companies have played an important role in accelerating advancement of the Big Four Agenda, which is currently Kenya’s development blueprint by President Uhuru Kenyatta. China is currently helping Kenya to grow her economy through value addition of agricultural products for export. The two sides have recently signed a couple of agreements to give preferential access of Kenya’s agricultural products in the vast Chinese market. With mutual understanding and support on many international and regional issues, the two countries continue to expand and deepen their all fields cooperation. A moving-forward China will continue to boost bilateral exchanges and cooperation at all levels, to go along with Kenya achieving industrialisation and modernisation, and to bring tangible benefits to the people of both countries while striding towards a shared future. The writer is Chinese Ambassador to Kenya

China-Kenya co-operation can only get better

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