In the morning of May 10 local time, Premier Li Keqiang held talks with President Uhuru Kenyatta of Kenya at the State House of the country.
Li Keqiang said that over the past half century or so since the establishment of diplomatic relationship between China and Kenya, the bilateral relations have withstood the tests of fluctuating international situation and have been growing in a consistent, healthy and steady manner. During Mr. President's successful visit to China last year, President Xi Jinping and you elevated the China-Kenya relations to comprehensive cooperative partnership of equality, mutual trust, mutual benefit and win-win outcome. The Chinese side is willing to enhance high-level exchanges and political mutual trust with Kenya and continuously support each other on the issues concerning each other's core interests and major concerns, so as to uplift the China-Kenya relations to another new high.
Li Keqiang pointed out that the all-round, wide-ranging and multi-tiered mutually beneficial cooperation between China and Kenya is faced with new development opportunities. Hope both sides bring the role of the mechanism of China-Kenya Joint Committee on Trade, Investment, Economic and Technical Cooperation into full play, strengthen the planning, guidance and coordination of the practical cooperation, and deepen the cooperation in trade, investment, finance, energy and other fields. China is ready to increase its imports from Kenya, encourage Chinese enterprise to expand their investments in Kenya, and to conduct cooperation in infrastructure construction with Kenya by giving its advantages of experience and technologies in construction and operation of railways, ports, airports and power station into full play; to make full use of Kenya's role as transport hub to carry out cooperation in operation of regional airlines and construction of railway network; to boost cooperation in agriculture and to ensure grain security; to advance cooperation in eco-environment and conservation of wildlife to promote sustainable development; to expand people-to-people and cultural exchanges and well implement the projects of China-Africa joint research center, so as to make contributions to the scientific and technological progress of Kenya and other African countries.
On behalf of the Kenyan government and people, Kenyatta extended warm welcome to Premier Li Keqiang for his visit to Kenya. He said that on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Premier Zhou Enlai's visit to Africa, Premier Li Keqiang's successful visit to Africa, as a milestone, will further deepen new type of Africa-China strategic partnership. Kenya and China share similar historical experiences and development tasks. The Kenyan side is grateful to China for its assistance and support in Kenya's economic and social development, eco-environment protection, and conservation of wildlife resources, highly appreciates China's important contribution to maintaining the peace and development in Africa, and fully agrees with the "461" China-Africa cooperation framework put forward by Premier Li Keqiang at his speech in African Union and his special proposals of working together to build "three networks" of infrastructure in Africa in his special address at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Africa. Kenya stands ready to enhance strategic communication with the Chinese side to comprehensively advance the cooperation in various fields and to realize common development. It is willing to play a positive role in Africa-China cooperation by serving as a doorway for Chinese enterprises to enter into Africa.
After the talks, the leaders of both countries witnessed together the signing of bilateral cooperative documents covering such fields as economy, technology, conservation of wildlife, health care, agriculture, animal husbandry and fishery, and finance. Both sides also released a China-Kenya joint statement. The leaders of the two countries also agreed to establish a bilateral consultative committee.
Prior to the talks, Kenyatta held a grand welcoming ceremony for Li Keqiang at the Square of the Presidential Palace. Deputy President William Kipchirchir Samoei Arap Ruto of Kenya, and Commanders of the three services, Police Chief Commissioner and other senior military and police officials lined up to welcome him. The military band played the national anthems of the two countries and the salute was fired. Li Keqiang then inspected the guard of honor.
Premier Li Keqiang's wife Mme. Cheng Hong and President Kenyatta's wife Mme. Margaret attended the welcoming ceremony.
On that morning, Premier Li Keqiang's wife Mme. Cheng Hong, accompanied by President Kenyatta's wife Mme. Margaret and Deputy President Ruto's wife Mme. Rachel, visited the Happy Women organization and had a warm communication with representatives of Kenyan women.