Kenya and China have reaffirmed commitments to their diplomatic ties stretching more than 60 years.
Celebrating the anniversary in Nairobi over the weekend, leaders from the two nations resolved to bolster the relations between the two states, dismissing naysayers of the look-West narrative.
There have been hushed undertones in diplomatic circles that the Kenya Kwanza administration appeared to be leaning West.
But China said it “will face squarely and sincerely the new developments and new problems that confront China-Kenya relations”.
The President Xi Jinping administration said it would “handle as appropriate any problems that arise in a spirit of mutual respect and win-win cooperation”.
Chinese Ambassador Zhou Pingjian said this would “enable Kenya to gain more from the cooperation”.
“At the same time, we sincerely hope that Kenya will provide the corresponding conditions necessary for Chinese enterprises and citizens to engage in cooperation in Kenya,” he said.
For its part, Kenya assured Beijing that nothing would or could break the ties with Nairobi.
Prime CS Musalia Mudavadi, who doubles up as Foreign Affairs CS, said the relationship between the two states “has grown by leaps and bounds”.
“I do not doubt that it will continue to advance through shared prosperity and mutual understanding,” he said.
The celebrations at Nairobi’s Global Trade Centre were marked with displays of both Kenya and Chinese cultures.
Kenyan and Chinese nationals jointly performed folk dances, songs and acrobatic displays, including Kongfu, at the fete.
A book titled ‘60 Years and 60 Kenyans: My China Story’ was also launched at the event.
Top government officials in attendance included Infrastructure CS Kipchumba Murkomen, Treasury’s Njuguna Ndung’u, Foreign Affairs PS Korir Sing'oei and Kenya’s Ambassador to China Willy Bett.
Mudavadi said Nairobi is grateful for China’s contribution to the country’s transformation, describing the impact as “far-reaching”.
“Kenya’s developmental landscape has benefited the most from China’s investment,” he said.
He cited President William Ruto’s participation in the third Belt and Road Initiative summit in October and numerous high-level visits between the two capitals as signs of Kenya’s commitment to the ties.
“These emphasise the centrality of our bilateral and people-to-people relations,” Mudavadi said.
“China is Kenya’s largest trading partner, largest source country of contracted companies and one of the most important sources of employment for Kenyans.”
He said more than 50,000 Kenyans have been hired by the 400 Chinese firms doing business in the country.
Mudavadi said the other sign was the increased China’s tourist arrivals to Kenya, adding that the government is working on “deliberate measures to tap into the more than 100 million Chinese tourist market.”
He assured China that Kenya remains its partner on matters of infrastructure development.
Mudavadi cited flagship projects such as the Nairobi Expressway, the Thika Super Highway and the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) as proof of the same.
“These projects have not only opened up the country for more investments and spurred economic activity, but have also eased connectivity between centres of commerce with people,” he said.
For Beijing, the 60th year is a starting point for further cooperation.
“This is a new starting point to explore a distinctive path of cooperation in our respective pursuit of national development and rejuvenation,” Amb Pingjian said.
He said the nations would continuously enrich their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership and jointly build an even closer China-Kenya community with a shared future in the new era.
“In traditional Chinese culture, the 60th year is always memorable as it completes a cycle called the Jiazi, a concept unique to the Chinese calendar,” Pingjian added.
“Standing at a new historical starting point, we have every confidence in advancing our friendship.”
The ambassador urged all parties to “work hand in hand to open up even more brighter prospects for China-Kenya relations”.
China said it was committed to forging a more comprehensive partnership with Kenya and “supports its independent exploration of its own path of modernisation in line with the country’s actual situation”.
China says it is ready to work with Kenya to put into action the three initiatives by President Xi Jinping: the global development initiative, the global security initiative and the global civilization initiative.
“China is also ready to implement the outcomes of the Belt and Road Forum and the FOCAC meetings,” Pingjian said.
This, he said, would better support Kenya’s Vision 2030 and the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (Beta).