China, Kenya agree to deepen Belt and Road cooperation

Kenyan President William Ruto meets with Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and director of the Office of the Foreign Affairs Commission of the CPC Central Committee, in Nairobi, Kenya, July 22, 2023. [Xinhua/Wang Guansen]

NAIROBI -- Kenyan President William Ruto on Saturday met here with Wang Yi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, with both sides pledging to deepen Belt and Road cooperation.

Ruto asked Wang, also director of the Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs, to convey his cordial greetings to Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Noting that Kenya-China relations have been developing smoothly since the establishment of diplomatic ties 60 years ago, Ruto said strengthening friendly cooperation with China has become a consensus shared by all sectors in the country.

Ruto highly praised China's efforts in growing relations with Kenya based on the principle of mutual respect. Kenya is firmly committed to deepening the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership with China, and is willing to strengthen inter-party exchanges, deepen cooperation in such fields as railway, highway, water conservancy, aviation and renewable energy under the frameworks of Belt and Road cooperation and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, in order to promote connectivity and regional integration in Africa and achieve win-win results, Ruto said.

The Kenya president said that his country supports and will actively participate in the Global Development Initiative proposed by China.

For his part, Wang conveyed Xi's sincere regards to Ruto. Since the establishment of diplomatic ties 60 years ago, China and Kenya have treated each other as equals, supported each other and jointly strived for revitalization, Wang said, noting that the two countries have become good friends sharing political mutual trust and good partners engaged in win-win cooperation.

China approaches relations with Kenya from a strategic perspective, and is willing to work with Kenya to take the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations as a new starting point to align their strategies for revitalization with a focus on development and cooperation, and push their comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership to a new level in the new era, Wang said.

The two sides should strengthen the strategic guidance of their leaders, enhance political mutual trust and increase exchanges between governments and political parties in various fields, Wang said.

China firmly supports Kenya in safeguarding its sovereign independence and national dignity, fighting terrorism and taking a development path in line with its own national conditions, he added.

China is willing to actively promote cooperation with Kenya in railway, highway, aviation, information and other fields while jointly advancing Belt and Road cooperation, the Global Development Initiative and the "nine programs" of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, so as to help Kenya advance its economic and social development and promote regional integration in Africa, Wang said.

China stands ready to work with Kenya to practice multilateralism, preserve the central role of the United Nations in international affairs and the common interests of developing countries, promote the implementation of the Outlook on Peace and Development in the Horn of Africa and safeguard regional peace and development, Wang said.

On the same day, Wang also met with Alfred Mutua, cabinet secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs of Kenya.