Kenyan FM says China-Africa co-op conducive to African economies

Kenyan Foreign Minister Moses Wetengula has said that China's cooperation with Africa is conducive to the economic development of African countries.

Speaking in an interview with Xinhua on Monday, the minister said that remarkable achievements had been made in the field of cooperation since the holding of the Beijing Summit of China-Africa Cooperation Forum in 2006.

Wetengula, who is going to attend the China-Africa Cooperation Forum's fourth ministerial meeting next month in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, said he hoped that the November meeting could include discussions on expanding fields of cooperation and innovation of cooperation modes.

He said that Chinese companies have invested in a range of projects in African countries, in such sectors as infrastructure building, mining, commodities trade and direct investment.

However, he hoped that the investment and cooperation can be expanded to more sectors, like green energy development and information technology.

As for Kenya-China cooperation, the minister said that there are lots of opportunities to be tapped into. He said that China could be an important market for Kenyan coffee and tea exports.

Kenya, a country boasting of breathtaking landscape and world famous wildlife resources, could be a hot destination for Chinese tourists, the minister said.

"If only 0.1 percent of Chinese people come to visit Kenya, that could be a big boost to our tourism industry," Wetengula said.

The foreign minister also stressed Kenya's determination to further strengthen relations with China, and reiterated the Kenyan government's adherence to the one-China policy.

Source: Xinhua