CRI听力: China and Kenya to Further Strategic Partnership & Cooperation

Visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi and his Kenyan counterpart Moses Wetangula have agreed to further the strategic partnership and bilateral cooperation between the two countries. Yang Jiechi also reiterates China's position in supporting Africa's development and Sino-African cooperation. CRI Nairobi correspondent Wei Tong has more.



At a joint press conference with his Kenyan counterpart Moses Wetangula, foreign minister Yang Jiechi hails the China-Kenyan as well as China-African relations being on a good footing but need to be strengthened further.

"We have reached broad consensus on many issues concerning the further development of China-Kenyan relationship and our cooperation both in regional and international arena. So we are exploring all kinds of possibilities. Anything which will serve the best interests of the Kenyan people will be China's top priority. We'll welcome more African students come and study in China. We'll further increase scholarship to African students and we also thank African countries for welcoming the establishment of Confucius Institutes in every corner of Africa."

Yang Jiechi says the upcoming Shanghai World Expo will be another great opportunity for China-Africa cooperation and exchanges. He welcomed African delegations to parcipate in the big event to enhance the mutual understandings between the two peoples.

Yang also emphasized the importance of infrastructure construction in Africa's development and promotion of intra-regional trade as well as China's commitment in the infrastructural projects, such as the Lamu port and Mombasa-Kampala standard gauge railways in Kenya.

During Yang's visit to Kenya, the two countries have also signed two agreements extending China's two grants to Kenya.

One is a 550 million Kenyan shillings grant to support various projects in the country. The other is a 11 million shillings for computerization program for Kenya's Ministry for Foreign Affairs. Kenya's foreign minister Moses Wetangula conveyed his sincere gratitude for China's unremitting support for Kenya's economic and social development and expected to see a closer bilateral relations.

"We want to appreciate the role China has played in constant engagement with African countries in the development of infrastructure that link African countries. The relationship between China and Kenya is beneficial and wonderful and we will play our part to make it even stronger."

Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi also paid courtesy calls to Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga, who hails the long-lasting friendly relations between the two countries.

Kenya is the first leg of Yang Jiechi's African tour. He is expected to visit Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Algeria, Morocco and Saudi Arabia in Asia in the following days.

Wei Tong, CRI News, Nairobi, Kenya.