Chinese delegation in Kenya to assess projects

Wang Yang

Kenya is hosting a high profile Chinese delegation representing Chinese President Xi Jinping.

The delegation will visit various projects including the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR), financed by China. President Xi has positioned his nation as the biggest lender at 70.69 per cent of the Sh17.99 billion total repayments to bilateral creditors.

Last year, during the Belts and Roads Forum in Beijing, Xi agreed to upgrade China-Kenya relations to the Comprehensive Strategic Cooperative Partnership.

Wang Yang, who chairs the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, is on official goodwill visit to Kenya on the invitation of National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi.

Mr Wang, who is also the Chinese vice premier, and his team, arrived in the country yesterday afternoon and were received by Ambassador Sun Baohong, National Assembly Majority leader Aden Duale and Ministry of Foreign Affairs officials.

The top Chinese political advisor is schedule to have back-to-back events, including an exchange of views with President Uhuru Kenyatta and other leaders on the deepening mutual cooperation and shared governance experience. “We believe this important visit will give a vigorous boost to China-Kenya relations," said Mr Sun.

Yesterday, Yang visited the south station of Mombasa–Nairobi SGR.