Today marks the 55th anniversary of the establishment of China-Kenya diplomatic ties. The past 5 decades have witnessed reciprocal cooperation between China and Kenya. One example of that began in 2016. That's when Kenyan students were invited to study railway engineering in China. After graduation, these students plan to work for the Chinese-built Mombassa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway, in their home country. CGTN's Omar Khan has the story.

The flagship project of China-Kenya cooperation, the Mombassa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway, has changed the lives of many ordinary citizens in Kenya. But as the saying goes, it's better to teach someone fishing instead of simply giving him a fish.

In 2016, China's Beijing Jiaotong University has opened tailor-made training programs for Kenyan students, who plan to work for the Standard Gauge Railway after they graduate. Clinton Munene is one of them.

CLINTON MUNENE, STUDENT BEIJING JIAOTONG UNIVERSITY "I'm Clinton Munene. I am from Kenya. I'm studying in Beijing Jiaotong University. We have gone to the workshop where the trains are being assembled. We have gone to other workshops where the signaling and communication used in our country."

The program was jointly launched with the China Road & Bridge Corporation. So far, the program has sponsored 100 Kenyan students to study in China.

LIU YANQING, DIRECTOR AT CENTER FOR INTERNATIONAL EDUCATION BEIJING JIAOTONG UNIVERSITY "This is the first collaboration of its kind with the China Road & Bridge Corporation. We take it very seriously. All engineering courses here are taught in English, and we've also worked closely with Chinese railway vocational colleges to help students gain practical skills each summer."

China's move to support developing countries is part of its 'south-south' funding program, of $20 million a year.

DRADAM OLOO SCHOLAR AT UNIVERSITY OF NAIROBI "The biggest message from this China's talking of south-south cooperation is that here you are the country which will be out there to give you the necessary capital to match the other factors of production, so that you can make a start."

China-Kenya diplomatic ties have been a model of friendly cooperation between China and African countries. It is also expected to strengthen as bilateral cooperation and exchanges expand.