Defense Cabinet Secretary Soipan Tuya on Thursday hosted the Chinese Ambassador to Kenya, Guo Haiyan, at the Ministry of Defence Headquarters.
The meeting, the first between Soipan and Guo, focused on enhancing defence cooperation in several key areas in a bid to strengthen security capabilities.
The discussions underscored the need to expand collaboration in the security sector in response to evolving global threats. The proposed partnership particularly aims to boost Kenya’s capacity to address emerging security challenges, including terrorism, cyberattacks, and transnational crime.
“We explored opportunities for expanding the Kenya-China Defence Cooperation framework to include emerging areas as well as optimize existing engagements,” noted CS Soipan after the meeting.
The Cabinet Secretary reiterated that Beijing remains an important development partner for Kenya.
“The Republic of Kenya and the People’s Republic of China enjoy a strong bilateral relationship underpinned by deepening commercial, diplomatic, cultural, and people-to-people ties,” she stated.
Ambassador Guo was accompanied by Defence Attache Senior Colonel Zhao Peng and Deputy Defence Attache Lt. Col. Hongliang Yang.
Also present were Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) General Charles Muriu Kahariri and the Kenya Defence Forces’ Chief of Strategic Policy and Plans, Brigadier Samuel Kimani.
Last year, the two countries committed to strengthening the strategic ties that unite them in the quest for sustainable peace, security, and development cooperation. This commitment includes enhancing military collaboration through training programmes, technology transfers, and joint exercises.
