China and Kenya pledged on Thursday that they would strengthen cooperation and coordination on COVID-19, economic recovery and regional and international affairs during Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi's visit to the African country.
China also vowed to continue its support for Kenya in defeating the COVID-19 pandemic, and the two countries signed a series of bilateral cooperation documents on Thursday.
Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta (C) and Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (2nd R) inspect Kipevu Kenya Oil terminus at the port of Mombasa, Kenya, January 6, 2022. /CMG
More coordination on regional, international affairs
When meeting with Wang earlier, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said Kenya is willing to strengthen cooperation with China in multilateral settings, especially the United Nations Security Council, to promote a more just and reasonable international order.
Kenya and China share common or similar positions on international and regional issues, Kenyatta said.
Every country, he said, has the right to independently choose a development path suited to its national conditions and bring health, prosperity and dignity to its people.
Some people like to point fingers at Kenya saying that it has various problems, but China has sincerely helped the country solve problems and meet its needs with actions, the president said.
Wang said China is willing to strengthen solidarity and coordination with Kenya in international and multilateral affairs, jointly safeguard the legitimate rights of the two countries and the common interests of developing countries, and safeguard international fairness and justice.
China is also ready to work with Kenya to implement the China-Kenya comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership, and to be partners that firmly support each other, accelerate development and revitalization, promote China-Africa solidarity, and safeguard regional peace, said the Chinese foreign minister.
After the talks, Wang was invited to attend the completion ceremony of the Chinese-built oil terminal at the port of Mombasa with Kenyatta.
Wang hailed the oil terminal as an important step in Kenya's industrialization, adding that realizing modernization needs no slogan, but action.
The terminal, using state-of-the-art technologies to protect the sea and environment, has created many jobs and businesses for the port city, he said.
China and Africa had worked together to build more than 10,000 kilometers of railways, nearly 100,000 kilometers of roads, nearly 1,000 bridges, almost 100 ports, and a large number of hospitals and schools, Wang said.
He also said that Africa should not be an arena for great-power competition and reiterated that China has always welcomed other countries, especially developed ones, to take part in the development process of the continent.
China to provide additional 10m COVID-19 vaccine doses to Kenya
During a joint press conference with Kenya's Cabinet Secretary for Foreign Affairs Raychelle Omamo in Mombasa, also on Thursday, Wang announced that China would provide another 10 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines to Kenya.
Noting that the world is experiencing a wave of new Omicron infections, Wang said China, as a friend of Africa, will not stand idly by and is willing to work with Africa to completely defeat the pandemic.
He also told reporters that China will appoint a special envoy to the Horn of Africa to support efforts to overcome security challenges and ensure the region's long peace and prosperity.
The Horn of Africa enjoys a unique geographical location and has great development potential. However, it has suffered from regional conflicts and occasional confrontations in recent years, Wang said, adding that such a situation cannot continue indefinitely.
Wang said he and Omamo have reached the consensus that China and Kenya would strengthen and deepen their relations.
China and Kenya need to be partners that firmly support each other in accelerating development and revitalization, promoting China-Africa unity, and safeguarding regional peace, he said.
During talks with Wang before meeting the press, Omamo said Kenya has achieved rapid economic growth and brand new infrastructure thanks to the strong impetus of Kenya-China cooperation and the deepening cooperation on the Belt and Road Initiative.
She also said Kenya firmly adheres to the one-China policy, highly appreciates China's important influence and role in international affairs and is willing to take an active part in the Global Development Initiative.
Following the talks, the two sides witnessed the signing of cooperation documents on the digital economy, investment, agriculture and export of Kenyan agricultural products to China.
Kenya was the second stop of Wang's three-nation tour in Africa, with the Comoros the last leg.
(With input from Xinhua)
(Cover: Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta (L) and Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi greet each other in Mombasa, Kenya, January 6, 2022. /Chinese Foreign Ministry)