The Chinese Ambassador to Kenya, Guo Haiyan, has hailed President William Ruto’s recent state visit to Beijing as a major success.
In a press briefing following the visit, the ambassador revealed that China and Kenya signed several cooperation agreements that lay a solid foundation for future bilateral relations.
She noted that the strategic mutual trust between the two nations has reached new heights, with a commitment to further expand the scope and depth of cooperation, aiming to establish a China-Kenya community with a shared future in this new era.
“During the visit, the two sides signed a cooperation plan to jointly promote the Belt and Road Initiative, aiming to strengthen practical cooperation in infrastructure, trade and investment, the digital economy, finance, education and talent development, culture and tourism, as well as people-to-people exchanges. This partnership aims to ensure that their high-quality Belt and Road cooperation is of a high standard, people-centred, and sustainable, ultimately delivering prosperity to both nations,” she stated.
In the area of investment, Ambassador Guo mentioned that China encourages more leading Chinese enterprises to invest and establish businesses in Kenya, facilitating the country’s efforts to expand its competitive production capacity.
“China will import more fine Kenyan products, such as avocados and anchovies, promoting the balanced and sustainable development of bilateral trade,” she added.
According to the diplomat, the two sides also agreed on quarantine and hygiene requirements for edible aquatic animals to be exported from Kenya to China, thus paving the way for the export of Kenyan aquatic animal products to the Chinese market.
“The massive Chinese market is always open to Kenya. China will encourage more qualified Chinese enterprises to make investments to Kenya to help Kenya to expand competitive production capacity, upgrade the industrial chain as well as achieve autonomous and sustainable development,” she said.
Guo also highlighted the agreements reached to collaborate in the field of Artificial Intelligence, aimed at cultivating new growth areas for cooperation in emerging industries such as the digital economy, new energy, AI, mobile technologies, blockchain, and the development of smart cities, thereby promoting cooperation on new quality productive forces.
“China is a country that delivers on its promises. China is ready to work with African countries including Kenya to achieve more early harvests of the outcomes of the Beijing summit of the forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) for the greater benefit of the African people, continue to send a powerful message of the China-Africa strength through unity as well as solidarity and cooperation, and spearhead the global south cooperation through the high-quality China-Africa cooperation,” she said
Reflecting on the decision by the two heads of state to elevate China-Kenya relations into a community with a shared future for the new era, Ambassador Guo highlighted the significance of this move, emphasizing that both Kenya and China are poised for robust growth across various sectors.
“The two sides will drive the integrated development of infrastructure and industries through implementing major projects such as the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway, promote the development of growth circles for China-Africa industrial cooperation and work together to build a China-Africa network featuring land-sea links and coordinated development,” she stated.
“China values Kenya’ s role as a financial hub in East Africa and will support Chinese financial institutions in setting up branches in Kenya and explore new and diversified forms of financial cooperation with Kenya,” she added.
Guo further reiterated that “China places great importance on Kenya’s pressing needs in addressing medicine and vaccine shortages during these challenging times. We will support Chinese enterprises in collaborating with their Kenyan counterparts to develop local healthcare industries, thereby contributing to the health and wellbeing of the Kenyan people.”
