Chinese vice president calls for stronger relations with Kenya

Chinese Vice President Han Zheng visited Kenya from Sunday to Wednesday at the invitation of Kenyan Vice President Kithure Kindiki and pledged to strengthen trade cooperation with the East African country and accelerate the joint move towards modernisation.

While in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, Han met with President William Ruto, held talks with Kindiki and attended the China-Kenya Business Forum where he delivered a speech.

Han conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping's warm greetings and best wishes to Ruto. He stressed that over the past six decades since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the two countries have consistently adhered to mutual respect, equality and mutual benefit, taking bilateral relations to a new level.

Last April, President Xi and President Ruto jointly decided to build a Sino-Chinese community with a shared future for the new era, setting a new vision for the development of bilateral relations, Han said.

Han stressed China's readiness to work with Kenya to implement the consensus reached by the two statesmen and the outcomes of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum Summit in Beijing. This, he said, will inject new momentum into bilateral cooperation and play a leading and exemplary role in building an all-round Sino-African community with a shared future for the new era.

With regard to the start of China's 15th Five-Year Plan, Han said China will further expand its high level of openness and share high-quality development opportunities with Kenya and other African countries. The two sides should consolidate the high level of mutual political trust and the foundation of a Sino-Kenyan community with a shared future.

He also expressed gratitude for Kenya's strong support on issues of China's core interests, such as the Taiwan issue, and affirmed China's firm support for Kenya in safeguarding its sovereignty, security and development interests.

The two sides should develop high-quality practical cooperation and take full advantage of China's tariff preference for 53 African countries with diplomatic relations with China, which takes effect on May 1, to accelerate joint progress toward modernization, Han said.

China appreciates Kenya's active support for the major initiatives proposed by China and stands ready to strengthen high-level strategic coordination to promote a more just and balanced international order, he added.

President Ruto asked Han to convey his warm greetings and best wishes to President Xi. He stressed that Kenya always adheres to the One China principle and supports the global initiatives proposed by Xi.

When the parties met, they witnessed the signing and exchange of cooperation documents.

During his meeting with Kindiki, Han said China supports Kenya in finding a development path that suits its national conditions and welcomes the use of China's trade facilitation measures to share opportunities in the Chinese market.

Kindiki noted that Kenya is ready to take advantage of the tariff-free policy and position itself as a gateway for China to the wider African market.

At the China-Kenya Business Forum, Han said the global political and economic environment is undergoing profound and complex changes, with increasing challenges to development and free trade.

In this context, he said, stronger cooperation is more urgent than ever and requires a broader vision. China is ready to work with African countries, including Kenya, to consolidate strategic mutual trust as partners on the road to modernization, deepen economic and trade cooperation as true friends for mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, and promote multilateralism as creators of an open world economy, he said.

China's 15th Five-Year Plan sets out a vision for development for the next five years, and the country remains committed to expanding its high level of openness, better integrating into the global economy and sharing opportunities with all countries, including Kenya, Han added.

During the visit, Han also met with heads of UN agencies in Kenya, including Zainab Hawa Bangura, Director-General of the United Nations Office in Nairobi.

China will always be a reliable partner of the UN and is ready to work with UN agencies to promote the authority and status of the organization, promote a more just and balanced global governance system, and contribute to world peace, stability, prosperity and development, he said.

Han also visited the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway control room and attended the launch of the first freight train carrying Kenyan goods exported to China under the zero-tariff policy.

CMG