Chinese Vice President Han Zheng visited Kenya from Sunday to Wednesday at the invitation of Kenyan Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, pledging to enhance trade with the East African country and accelerate the joint pursuit of modernization.
During his stay in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, Han met with Kenyan 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 cordial greetings and best wishes to Ruto. He noted that over the past six decades, since the establishment of diplomatic ties, the two countries have consistently adhered to mutual respect, equality, and mutual benefit, promoting bilateral relations to new heights.
Last April, President Xi and President Ruto jointly decided to build a China-Kenya community with a shared future for the new era, which has drawn a new blueprint for the development of bilateral ties, he said.
Han voiced China's readiness to work with Kenya to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state and the outcomes of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Beijing Summit. This will inject new impetus into bilateral cooperation and play a leading and exemplary role in building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era, he said.
Noting that this year marks the beginning of China's 15th Five-Year Plan, Han said China will further expand high-level opening-up and share high-quality development opportunities with Kenya and other African countries. The two sides should cement high-level mutual political trust and lay the foundation for the China-Kenya community with a shared future in the new era.
He expressed gratitude for Kenya's strong support on issues concerning China's core interests, such as the Taiwan question, and reaffirmed China's firm support for Kenya in safeguarding its national sovereignty, security and development interests.
Both sides should expand high-quality, practical cooperation and make good use of the dividends from China's comprehensive zero-tariff treatment for 53 African countries with diplomatic ties to China, which takes effect on May 1, to accelerate their joint steps toward modernization, Han said.
China appreciates Kenya's active support for major initiatives proposed by China and stands ready to enhance high-level strategic coordination to promote a more just and equitable international order, Han said.
For his part, Ruto asked Han to convey his cordial 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.
Kenya stands ready to seize the opportunity presented by the full implementation of the zero-tariff policy to better align development strategies with China, deepen cooperation in various fields, and achieve mutual benefit and win-win outcomes, Ruto said.
Following the meeting, the two sides witnessed the signing and exchange of cooperation documents.
During his talks with Kindiki, Han said China supports Kenya in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions and welcomes Kenya to make full use of China's trade facilitation measures to share opportunities in the Chinese market.
Kindiki said Kenya is willing to leverage the benefits of the zero-tariff policy and position itself as a gateway for China to access the broader African market.
While addressing the China-Kenya Business Forum, Han said the global political and economic landscape is undergoing profound and complex changes, with growing challenges in development and free trade.
Against this backdrop, stronger cooperation is more urgent than ever and requires a greater vision, he noted.
China is ready to work with African countries, including Kenya, to consolidate strategic mutual trust as partners on the path to modernization, deepen economic and trade cooperation as true friends for mutual benefit and win-win cooperation, and uphold multilateralism as builders of an open world economy, he said.
China's 15th Five-Year Plan outlines a blueprint for development over the next five years, and the country will remain committed to expanding high-level opening-up, better integrating into the global economy and sharing opportunities with all countries, including Kenya, he said.
During the visit, Han also met with heads of the United Nations agencies in Kenya, including Zainab Hawa Bangura, director-general of the United Nations Office at Nairobi.
China will always be a reliable partner of the United Nations and is ready to work with UN agencies to uphold the organization's authority and status, promote a more just and equitable global governance system, and contribute to world peace, stability, prosperity, and development, he said.
Han also visited the dispatch center of the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway and attended the departure ceremony of the first freight train carrying Kenyan goods exported to China under the zero-tariff policy.
Chinese vice president visits Kenya, seeks closer ties
