Thu, July 19, 2012
BEIJING, July 19 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping and Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Amollo Odinga on Thursday agreed to further promote bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
The two leaders met on the sidelines of the Fifth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), which kicked off in the Chinese capital on Thursday.
In recent years, China-Kenya ties have developed rapidly and comprehensively, with fruitful achievements in the cooperation in various fields, Xi said.
Both sides have continued to push forward practical cooperation in trade and economy, maintaining an annual bilateral trade growth of over 30 percent, Xi said, adding that people-to-people and civil exchanges between the two countries have also been expanded.
Xi said China is willing to work with Kenya to further promote the relations of friendship and cooperation. The two sides should enhance communication in governance experience and strengthen mutual political trust through high-level exchanges, he said.
China and Kenya should also strengthen mutual support in issues of each other's core interests and concerns, deepen practical cooperation, and consolidate the substantial foundation of the two countries' friendship, Xi said.
China will consider taking part in the financing and construction of Kenya's key developmental projects, and promote bilateral trade balance in various forms, according to Xi.
China will also push forward people-to-people exchanges between the two sides, and enhance exchange and cooperation with Kenya in areas including education, culture, press and tourism, he said.
Xi said consolidating and developing relations with African countries is an important foundation stone of China's diplomatic policies. China is ready to use the Fifth Ministerial Conference of FOCAC as an opportunity to join hands with African countries, including Kenya, to push the new type of China-Africa strategic partnership to a new stage.
For his part, Odinga said in recent years, cooperation between the two sides have developed in a vigorous manner. The Africa-China cooperation under the framework of FOCAC have brought important changes to Africa and strengthened the energy and momentum of Africa's development.
He said Kenya is willing to enhance ties with China to benefit peoples of the two countries. Kenya will firmly adhere to the One-China policy, he added.
Odinga said Kenya welcomes Chinese companies to invest in his country, and take part in Kenya's development in the sectors of oil, infrastructure, ports, electricity and manufacturing. He said he hoped more Chinese tourists will travel to Kenya.
Kenya is also ready to strengthen coordination with China in international issues such as United Nations reforms and confronting climate change, Odinga added.
