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Mrs. Ruth Sereti Solitei, the ambassador of the Republic of Kenya to China, comes to China.org.cn and talks about the China-Kenya relations.

The People's Republic of China established the diplomatic relations with the Republic of Kenyaon the day of December 14, 1963. In the initial days of the establishment the relations between the two countries it saw a fair development. After 1965, the relation of the two countries was lowered to be at the chargé d'affaires level and towards the beginning of 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 importance who visited China from Kenya 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), Francis Ole Kaparo, Speaker of the Kenyan National Assembly (April 2000), and in October 2000 B. Godana, the Kenyan Foreign Minister 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: Ji Pengfei, Vice-premier of the State Council (August 1980), Zhao Ziyang, Premier of the State Council (January 1983), Tian Jiyun, Vice-premier (November 1985), Gu Mu, member of the State Council (April 1987), Wu Xueqian, member of the State Council and concurrently minister of foreign affairs (May 1987), Sun Qimeng, Vice-chairman of the 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 (April 1992), Jiang Zemin, President of the PRC (May 1996), Qian Zhengying, Vice-chairperson of the NPPCC (June 1997), Tang Jiaxuan, Minister of Foreign Affairs (January 1999), Peng Peiyun, Vice-chairwoman of the NPC and chairwoman of All China Women's Federation (November 1999), Li Peng, Chairman of the NPC (November, 1999), Dai Bingguo, Minister of the International Liaison Department of the 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) and Zhu Rongji, Premier of the State Council (April 2002), etc.

B. Bilateral economy and trade relations and economic and technological cooperation

Since the establishment of the diplomatic relations, the projects of aid and assistance provided by Chinato Kenyamainly include: MoiInternationalSportsCenter, methane-generating pit, the expansion project of Eldret hospital, Gambogi-Serem Highwayetc. In recent years, the bilateral trade value increased greatly. The Chinese exports to Kenyamainly 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 Kenyamainly cover: black tea, coffee and leather-goods, etc. The year of 2002 saw the trade value between Chinaand Kenyareach 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.

C. Exchanges and cooperation in the fields of culture and military affairs

Chinaand 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 2 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 Nairobiin Africa.

In recent years, the military exchanges between China and Kenyaare increasing. In December 1996, General Liu Jingsong, Commander of LanzhouMilitary Zone 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 Kenyaand in December 2001, General Fu Quanyou, Chief of the General Staff headed a delegation to visit Kenya. The Kenyan military visits to Chinainclude: 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 Institute for National Defence (1998), General Joseph Kibwana, Chief of the General Staff (2002). In March 1998, Kenyasent its military attaché to its embassy in China.

(China.org.cn by Wang Ke July 31, 2007)