Construction of Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) phase 2A project linking Kenya's capital Nairobi to the resort town of Naivasha has entered the final phase at Mai Mahiu station, Kenya on Sept. 10, 2019.(Xinhua/Zhang Yu)
China is currently helping Kenya to grow the economy through the value addition of agricultural products, says Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Wu Peng.
NAIROBI, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Wu Peng said in a commentary published in the Standard newspaper on Tuesday that China is currently helping Kenya to grow the economy through the value addition of agricultural products.
"The two sides have recently signed a couple of agreements to give preferential access to Kenya's agricultural products in the vast Chinese market," said Wu.
He observed that a fast developing China will continue to boost bilateral exchanges and cooperation at all levels, to go along with Kenya in achieving industrialization and modernization, and to bring tangible benefits to the people of both countries while striding towards a shared future.
The headquarters of Sino-Africa Joint Research Centre that is affiliated with Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) near Nairobi, Kenya. The Sino-Africa Joint Research Center (SAJOREC), a talent cultivation and scientific research institute, was established in 2013 and covers some 40 acres of land. (Xinhua/Yu Quan)
Wu added that the strong and fruitful China-Kenya partnership is vividly demonstrated by over 100 major projects developed jointly by both countries in the last 56 years.
The Chinese envoy said that some of the most outstanding projects over this period include the Moi International Stadium in Nairobi, Thika Superhighway, Mombasa to Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) and the Nairobi to Naivasha SGR which will be launched soon.
He observed that the SGR project carries with it, the century-old dream of the Kenya people and provides a fast lane to growth and prosperity for the region.
He revealed that cooperation between China and Kenya is not defined by the SGR alone.
"Other projects (made) by the Chinese side include laying of high-speed internet connectivity by Huawei and industrial upgrading," he said. The Chinese diplomat hailed the 56-year-old robust China-Kenya relations.
"Just as China has come afar, the partnership between the two peoples has overcome many challenges and is heading to even greater prosperity," said Wu.
Engineers from China Communications Construction Company (CCCC) check on one of the machines that will power signals for the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in Naivasha, Kenya on Sept. 16, 2019. (Xinhua/Robert Manyara)
Wu added that over the past 70 years, China has risen from a struggling agriculture-based economy to the world's second largest economy.
He revealed that with mutual understanding and support on many international and regional issues, China and Kenya continue to expand and deepen their cooperation.
He observed that trade and economic cooperation between China and Kenya has reached unprecedented levels.
"Today, more than 400 Chinese businesses operate in Kenya, creating nearly 130,000 jobs for the local people. These companies have played an important role in accelerating advancement of the Big Four Agenda, Kenya's development blueprint by President Uhuru Kenyatta," said Wu.■
