Kenyan President Meets Li Peng

Visiting Chinese top legislator Li Peng called on Kenyan President Daniel arap Moi at State House in Nairobi Tuesday, hoping the relations and cooperation between China and Kenya will be enhanced in all fields.

Li, Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress, first conveyed to President Moi the greetings from Chinese President Jiang Zemin who visited Kenya in 1996.

Li said President Moi is a veteran statesman in Africa and also an old friend of the Chinese people. Moi, who had visited China for three times, made valuable contributions to the development of the Sino-Kenyan relations.

Since President Moi's visit to China in 1994 and Chinese President Jiang' s visit to Kenya in 1996, the Sino-Kenyan relations have expanded to all fields, Li said, adding the the friendly relationship between the two countries has entered the best stage since the two countries forged diplomatic ties in 1963.

Moi said China is a great country and it is Kenya's sincere desire to develop the relations with China. Since its independence, Kenya has pursued "One China" policy and will continue to stick to this principled stand.

Li spoke highly of Kenya's "One China" policy and admired that the Kenyan government under the leadership of President Moi follows the peace, good-neighborhood and non-alignment policies, and plays an active role in safeguarding peace and promoting economic cooperation in Africa.

On international issues, Li stressed that pluralism is beneficial to peace and development. All nations in the world, big or small, rich or poor, should be equal in the world family.

After China's access to the World Trade Organization (WTO), China will, together with other developing countries, safeguard the rights and interests of all developing countries, Li said.

Moi expressed his warm congratulation on the signing of the Sino-US agreement on China's access to the WTO, saying that China's access would be a support to Kenya, and developing countries would have more say in the WTO.

Li also expressed his belief that the African continent with more than 50 countries and 600 million people has broad prospects of development.

The Chinese leader arrived in Nairobi Monday for a four-day official visit.


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