1. Political Relations

 

The People's Republic of China established the diplomatic relations with the Republic of Kenya on December 14, 1963. The initial days saw a fair development of bilateral ties. After 1965, the relation of the two countries was lowered to be at the chargé d'affaires level and toward the beginning of the 1970s it gradually returned to the normal. In 1978, when President Daniel Arap Moi came in power, the relation of the two countries gained a fast development. With frequent mutual visits at high level the friendly cooperation has witnessed outstanding achievements in many fields. By the end of 2002 when a new government was formed after Mwai Kibaki was elected president of the country he expressed to hold a great account of the relations with China, willing to further deepen and expand the friendly cooperation between the two countries.

 

Since the establishment of the diplomatic relations between China and Kenya, leaders of Kenya who visited China include: Daniel Arap Moi, president of Kenya (September 1980, October 1988 and May 1994), David Okiki Amaye, president of the Kenya African National Union (September 1986), Wilson Ndolo Ayah, minister of foreign affairs (August 1991), Bonaya Godana, minister of foreign affairs (April 1999), and Francis Ole Kaparo, speaker of the Kenyan National Assembly (April 2000). In October 2000 Kenyan Foreign Minister B. Godana headed a delegation to attend the Beijing Ministerial Meeting 2000 of the Sino-African Cooperation Forum.

 

Chinese leaders and officials who visited Kenya mainly include: Vice Premier Ji Pengfei (August 1980); Premier Zhao Ziyang (January 1983); Vice Premier Tian Jiyun (November 1985); Gu Mu, member of the State Council (April 1987); Wu Xueqian, member of the State Council and concurrently foreign minister (May 1987); Sun Qimeng, vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC) (November 1991); Qian Qichen, vice premier and concurrently foreign minister (January 1991 in the name of foreign minister, January 1994); Chen Muhua, vice chairwoman of the NPC Standing Committee (April 1992); President Jiang Zemin (May 1996); Qian Zhengying, vice chairperson of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC) (June 1997); Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan (January 1999); Peng Peiyun, vice chairwoman of the NPC Standing Committee and chairwoman of All China Women's Federation (November 1999); Li Peng, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee (November, 1999); Dai Bingguo, minister of the International Liaison Department of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee (April 2000); Wang Zhongyu, member and secretary-general of the State Council (May 2000); Li Tieying, member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee (2001); Premier Zhu Rongji (April 2002); Bai Lichen, vice chairperson of the CPPCC National Committee (September 2004); Wu Bangguo, chairman of the NPC Standing Committee (October 2004); and Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan (February 2005).

 

2. Economy and Trade Relations and Economic and Technological Cooperation

 

Since the establishment of the diplomatic relations, the projects of aid and assistance provided by China to Kenya mainly include: Moi International Sports Center, methane-generating pit, the expansion project of Eldret Hospital, Gambogi-Serem Highway, etc. In recent years, the bilateral trade value increased greatly. The Chinese exports to Kenya mainly include: household electric appliance, industrial and agricultural tools, textile goods, commodities for daily use, building materials and drugs, and so on. The imported goods from Kenya mainly cover: black tea, coffee and leather-goods, etc. The year of 2002 saw the trade value between China and Kenya reach US$186.37 million, of which the Chinese export took up US$180.576 million while the import was US$5.798 million. The mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Kenya began in 1985. At present, there are over 20 Chinese companies doing their businesses in Kenya, such as Jiangsu International Economic and Technological Cooperation Co, Sichuan International Economic and Technological Cooperation Co Ltd and China Road Bridge Construction (Group) Corporation and China Import and Export (Group) Corporation for Complete Sets of Equipment, and so on.

 

The bilateral economy and trade agreements signed between China and Kenya include: Agreement on Economic and Technological Cooperation Between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Kenya, Agreement on Trade Between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Kenya (1978), and so on.

 

3. Exchanges and Cooperation in the Fields of Culture and Military Affairs

 

China and Kenya signed the agreement for cultural cooperation in September 1980. The two countries signed the protocol for the cooperation in higher education, according to which China provides Egerton University with apparatuses for teaching and researches with two teachers sent over to work there. Starting from 1982, China would provide Kenya every year with at least 10 scholarships. And in 2002, the Kenyan students studying in China came to 58 in all. In 1985, China's Xinhua News Agency set up a general branch office at Nairobi in Africa.

 

In recent years, the military exchanges between China and Kenya are increasing. In December 1996, General Liu Jingsong, commander of Lanzhou Military Area headed the first Chinese military delegation to visit Kenya. In October 2000, General Li Jinai, political commissar of the General Equipment Department headed a friendly delegation to visit Kenya and in December 2001, General Fu Quanyou, chief of the General Staff headed a delegation to visit Kenya. The Kenyan military visits to China include: Major General Nick Leshan, commander of the Kenyan air force (1997); General Doudi Tonje, chief of the General Staff (1997); Lieutenant General Daniel Opande, president of the Institute for National Defense (1998); and General Joseph Kibwana, chief of the General Staff (2002). In March 1998, Kenya sent its military attaché to its embassy in China.

 

4. Important Agreements and Documents

 

On December 14, 1963, the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Kenya signed the joint communiqué on the establishment of the diplomatic relations between the two countries.

 

(Chinese Foreign Ministry March 2006)