Future is bright for China-Kenya cooperation

August 18 marked three years since President Uhuru Kenyatta’s historic visit to China. A day after landing in China, President Xi Jinping and Mr Kenyatta jointly announced the initiation of a comprehensive China-Kenya partnership.

Over the past three years, the China-Kenya relationship has achieved unprecedented results, with benefits for the people of both countries.

Mutual political trust has grown to a new level. The two heads of state later met in New York and Johannesburg, while top leaders from both sides have exchanged frequent visits. Just last week, Mr Wang Yi, China’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, paid a visit to Kenya.

Mutual and pragmatic cooperation has enabled China and Kenya to achieve new breakthroughs. Chinese investments in Kenya and China-Kenya trade have expanded.

The construction of the standard gauge railway (SGR) has proceeded faster than envisaged and will be open to traffic in 2017. In 2015, bilateral trade volume reached a new high of $6 billion, twice as much as that of 2013.

China has become Kenya’s largest trading partner, investor, and contractor. China-Kenya bilateral financial cooperation has registered record progress. China has now started cooperation on direct currency exchange with Kenya.

NEW RESULTS

Mutual cultural and people-to-people exchanges have yielded new results. Kenya is now the centre of Chinese media in Africa and one of the most popular destinations for Chinese tourists. A China-Africa joint research centre, the first Chinese overseas research institute, will become operational in Kenya this year.

Four Confucius institutes, one Confucius classroom, and three new Chinese corners have been set up in Kenya, while cultural and language exchanges between China and Kenya have been enhanced. As a result, Kenya has benefited from China’s advanced agricultural and textile technology.

Cooperation on regional peace and security as well as international issues have become highlights. China and Kenya have maintained close communication and cooperation in the fields of anti-terrorism, counter-piracy, regional peacekeeping missions, reform of the UN Security Council, and climate change.

Both sides have worked together to handle hotspot issues such as South Sudan, Burundi, and Somalia. China will continue to support the people of Africa to independently resolve their issues in an African way for the sake of maintaining regional peace and stability.

In order to secure common interests of China and Africa, the former will continue to speak out from the sense of fairness and justice for African countries at the UN Security Council and via shuttle diplomacy of the Chinese special representative on African Affairs.

Over the past three years, the partnership has come full circle, considerably benefiting China and Kenya as well as the people of East Africa. The SGR project, the Mombasa Port terminal, and the Mombasa Special Economic Zone are the latest returns of China-Africa and China-Kenya pragmatic cooperation.

Areas adjacent to China-driven mega flagship projects are becoming a booming economic belt, where accelerated growth and investment have led to revitalised development in Kenya.

History and reality bear witness to the fact that China’s two centenary goals mirror the aspirations of Kenya’s Vision 2030. China is on its way to realising the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation while African people are working hard towards poverty eradication and socio-economic development. China-Africa cooperation enjoys great potential, vigour, and bodes well for a bright future. 

Dr Liu Xianfa is Chinas' ambassador to Kenya.