Sino-Kenyan Friendly Cooperation Developing in Depth: Ambassador

The friendly cooperation between China and Kenya in various fields is developing in depth and width, said Chinese ambassador to Kenya Du Qiwen while addressing some 400 staff members and students at Egerton University at Njoro, Nakuru city in central Kenya, on Monday.

Delivering a speech on Sino-Kenyan relations at the request of Egerton University's Vice Chancellor Ezra Maritim at the university's auditorium, the Chinese ambassador highlighted that the mutually beneficial ties have broad prospects.

He recalled that the friendship between China and Kenya dates back to the early 15th century when Chinese navigator Zheng He led his oceangoing fleet and reached Malindi and Lamu along the Kenyan coast.

In recent history, China and Kenya shared similar experience of struggling for national independence and have been faced with the same task of national construction and development.

Since 1980, Kenyan President Daniel arap Moi has visited China for three times and Chinese President Jiang Zemin also paid a visit to Kenya in 1996. The high-level exchanges have further promoted the friendly relations between the two countries, Du said.

He emphasized that "our cooperation in politics, trade and economy, science and technology, culture, education, health care, among other fields, has been increasingly expanded and fruitful."

In the field of education, Du went on, Chinese professors are working at Egerton University, teaching Kenyan students on agriculture and language, and the Chinese government now provides Kenya 30 government scholarships, most for post-graduate and doctorate studies.

Du pointed out that the economic and trade cooperation between the two countries has seen rapid expansion in recent years, with the trade volume reaching US$137 million in 2000, a 30 percent increase over the previous year.

In the first half of this year, the trade volume reached to US$68. 51 million, a 21.3 percent increase over the same period of last year, he added.

Du also said many Chinese businesses are operating in Kenya, which have earned the reputation of being credible partners and made contributions to Kenya's economic and social development.

He cited a section of the A109 Highway from Nairobi to Mombasa rebuilt by the China Road and Bridge Company, which was praised as the best road in Kenya by President Moi when he officially opened the section at Voi three weeks ago.

The Chinese ambassador further noted that both being developing countries, China and Kenya have been committed to developing their relations of cooperation based on sincere friendship, equality and mutual benefit, and China has offered assistance to Kenya within its capacity.

Last year, the Chinese government decided to write off part of the debts owed by African countries, with the total amount of debt reduction nearing US$1.2 billion.

To follow up on the decision, the Chinese government signed an agreement with the Kenyan government in July this year to write off two-thirds of the mature debts Kenya owed to China, Du said.

On the Kenyan side, Du said, the Kenyan government and people have rendered precious support and assistance to China, and Kenya stands firmly by China's side on the issues of Taiwan and Tibet and gave its strong support for Beijing's bid to host the 2008 Olympic games.

Du stressed that China and Kenya share a lot in common on international and regional issues and both countries uphold the right of each country to choose its own social system and road of development and oppose interference in other countries' internal affairs.

During his one-hour speech, Du was interrupted on several occasions by warm applause, and his glamorous and humorous remarks were responded with broad smile from the audience.

After the speech, the Chinese ambassador took up some questions raised by the students and briefed them on China's rapid economic growth, gender issue and nine-year compulsory education, and the Chinese government's scholarship to Kenyan students.

During the stay, Vice Chancellor Maritim also invited the Chinese ambassador and his entourage to visit the biological laboratory with all its equipment provided by China, the Sino- Kenyan Horticultural Technology Cooperation Center and other facilities on the campus.






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