President William Ruto has praised the strong diplomatic relations between Kenya and China, highlighting the significant benefits that have emerged over the years. He noted that the ties between the two nations are deep-rooted, with frequent exchanges at multiple levels and practical cooperation across various fields.
In an interview with Chinese news outlets on Thursday evening, ahead of his upcoming visit to Beijing, Ruto expressed confidence that his meeting with President Xi Jinping of China will reinvigorate bilateral relations.
“I am looking forward to this trip because it will give me an opportunity to exchange at the highest level with President Xi on matters of mutual interest between our two countries and our two peoples. Matters to do with expanding our relationship and making sure that that relationship is mutually beneficial for both our governments and our people,” he said.
“We have achieved many things together. I am looking forward to building on what already exists to build greater understanding between our two peoples and ensuring that we take this into the future,” Ruto added.
The President highlighted several economic projects realized in recent times through China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), noting their transformative impact on Kenya’s development landscape.
“As a result, we have the 600 kilometre railway from Mombasa through Nairobi to Naivasha. We have the Lamu port that has been built in partnership with Kenya and China. And of course, we have the Mombasa oil terminal that has also been built between by the partnership between our two countries alongside many other projects. The Nairobi expressway and many road projects that have been undertaken in Kenya signify the robust relationship between our two countries,” he stated.
According to President Ruto, these projects not only enhance connectivity within Kenya but also improve regional connectivity. He emphasized that they offer significant benefits to Kenya and the entire East and Central Africa region, noting that the completion of some projects and the initiation of new ones will be part of his agenda during the state visit to China.
“We are looking forward to concluding those which are not concluded and having a conversation on how to bring the others into being so that we can enhance commerce, we can enhance trade within our region and also between Kenya and the rest of the world,” he remarked.
Additionally, Ruto confirmed that Kenya and China have advanced their cooperation mechanism within the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) for mutual benefit.
During last year’s FOCAC summit in Beijing, which was attended by Ruto, President Xi Jinping of China announced a 10-point partnership action plan for Africa for the next three years, aimed at advancing the continent’s modernization.
“FOCAC has brought together coming together of the willing to focus on important aspects that are of importance to Africa and China. There is increasing potential and pressure to leverage on this South to South cooperation between the countries in the global South. And BRICS is an option for Kenya. We are looking at the opportunities that come with membership of BRICS,” he said.
Ruto noted that China’s development achievements are commendable, and its governance experience provides valuable lessons for Kenya and other developing nations. He singled out China’s leading position in new energy, noting that it presents even greater opportunities for collaboration between the two countries.
The head of state also underscored the positive impact of China’s modernization, which he attributed to its success in combating poverty, where millions of people were lifted out of poverty in a remarkably short time.
“It’s a very interesting model for those of us who live in a continent where we still have very serious challenges of poverty. And it is the reason why we have partnership with China, because we believe there is an opportunity for us to leverage on the experience and on the understanding, on the modernization of our agriculture, on the industrialization of our regions,” he stated.
He said that his administration is making substantial investments to drive development through industrialization, including establishing six new special economic zones, where Kenya is collaborating with Chinese investors in the majority of them, as part of the effort to learn from different development models, including the Chinese model.
As a leader in the region concerning green energy, he indicated that Kenya is exploring opportunities for collaboration with China, particularly in technology transfer and encouraging Chinese enterprises to engage in the renewable energy sector, including electric vehicles, where both nations can partner to enhance Kenya’s manufacturing capacity for the benefit of the region.
“We are looking forward to making sure that our (power) grid is 100 percent green by 2030 which is just a few years from now. And we are looking forward to how we can share in our green energy resources with China, which has green energy technology. And China has distinguished itself as a country that has advanced technology in matters to do solar panels, EV batteries,” he said.
During Ruto’s visit, President Xi will hold a welcoming ceremony and banquet in his honour, and the two heads of state will engage in bilateral talks. Chinese Premier Li Qiang and Chairman of the National People’s Congress Standing Committee Zhao Leji are also scheduled to meet with President Ruto.
“We are confident that this visit will contribute to deepening the China-Kenya relations, implementing the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future in the new era, and advancing unity and cooperation within the Global South,” said Lin Jian, spokesperson for the Chinese foreign ministry, during a regular press briefing.
Eric Biegon
