Rekindling Chinese-Kenyan friendship

LIU GUANGYUAN} OUR JOURNEY

December 14, 2013 marks the Golden Jubilee of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between China and Kenya. 50 years ago, China proudly became the fourth country to establish formal diplomatic ties with Kenya, only two days after Kenya’s independence. As the Chinese Ambassador to Kenya, I am extremely pleased and honoured to be part of this historic and auspicious occasion.

The Golden Jubilee of our diplomatic ties is a bold testament of the enduring ties between China and Kenya. The last 50 years have been a period of deepening relations on the basis of equality and mutual trust between our two countries. Our relations have enjoyed consistent and perpetual renewal, bringing tangible benefits to our two peoples. 

Since Chinese Vice-Premier Chen Yi was invited to attend Kenya’s independence celebration ceremony in December 1963, both Chinese and Kenyan leaders have maintained close and frequent exchanges of visits. The most recent was the state visit to China by H. E. President Uhuru Kenyatta in August this year.

During that visit Chinese President Xi Jinping and President Kenyatta established a comprehensive co-operation partnership between China and Kenya. Exchanges between the executive and the legislative organs, local governments and political parties from both sides have also been significantly strengthened over the years.

Over the last 50 years, China has supported Kenya’s economic and social development across sectors. The bilateral trade and economic ties between China and Kenya have advanced apace and recorded tremendous results. Our trade volume increased to US$ 2.84 billion in 2012, which is more than 20 times that in 1992. China’s cumulative investment in Kenya had topped US$474 million by June this year. China has become Kenya’s largest source of foreign direct investment and the second largest trade partner.

China has partnered with Kenya in elevating standards of living among Kenyans including modern road construction, hospitals, schools, sports facilities and power generation. While monuments such as Moi International Sports Centre and the Thika superhighway are glowing indicators of our fruitful co-operation over the last 50 years, new high scale grand projects initiated by President Kenyatta in the Jubilee year represent a new horizon of co-operation.

The mega projects initiated recently like Mombasa-Nairobi standard gauge railway and the Greenfield airport project will propel Kenya to the next level of development.

Our people-to-people exchanges have grown exponentially with co-operation in culture, education, health, media and non-governmental organizations leading to a better understanding between Chinese and Kenyans. Chinese cultural and arts delegations have frequently come to Kenya to showcase Chinese culture to Kenyans. Chinese media organizations like Xinhua, China Central Television (CCTV), China Radio International (CRI) and China Daily have established their African headquarters in Nairobi. This will bring the two peoples closer through information sharing.

Moreover, the number of annual Chinese government scholarships was doubled in recent years from 32 to 64. We have also established two Confucius Institutes at the University of Nairobi and Kenyatta University to promote the Chinese language and culture in Kenya.

China will launch the third Confucius Institute this month at Egerton University in Nakuru, the home of  one professor whose stunning example illustrates the best people-to- people relations between China and Kenya thus far. Prof Liu Gaoqiong came to teach horticulture at Egerton University in 1997 and made Kenya his second home.

He married a beautiful Kenyan in 2003. Their special China-Kenya union has endured and borne three lovely children who will no doubt grow up to become China-Kenya goodwill ambassadors in future.

As we celebrate the Golden Jubilee, China-Kenya relations now stand at a historical juncture. China and Kenya are good friends, development partners and have supported each other in international affairs. China has stood along with Kenya on the ICC issue and will continue to provide support to Kenya to ensure that the Kenyan leaders can concentrate on discharging their constitutional duties.

As China strives to realise the “Chinese dream” of national rejuvenation, Kenya is steadily advancing towards its vision 2030 goal which heralds unity, self-reliance, development and prosperity. Our respective dreams are closely linked.

They portend  a significant confluence of opportunities for future co-operation between China and Kenya. Looking into the future, we have every reason to believe that, through our joint efforts, our friendship and co-operation will be stronger and our shared dreams will be realised and, hopefully, surpassed.

Both Kenya and China should be proud of the contribution we’ve made over the past 50 years. Today, China is Kenya’s key strategic partner. Dynamic and efficient policies adopted by both our Governments have paved the way for this success.

China expects to strengthen and accelerate the pace of comprehensive co-operation with Kenya as it embarks on this transition to a new period of greater development and achievements.

China and Kenya are determined to build a new bond of friendship for another 50 years and beyond. Therefore, taking the opportunity of the Golden Jubilee, China is ready to start a new journey with Kenya to push our friendship and co-operation to a higher level!

The writer is the Chinese Ambassador to Kenya.