• Xi said China is ready to work with Kenya to promote continued development of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
• President Ruto on his part said Kenya's relations with China have always been grounded on trust and respect.
Image: PCS
President William Ruto on Wednesday held a bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, on the sidelines of the third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation, in Beijing China.
During the meeting, the two leaders who were flanked by senior officials from both governments discussed among others, the cordial relations that Kenya and China have had over the last six decades.
Xi said China is ready to work with Kenya to promote continued development of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
"Over the past 60 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the two countries have treated each other as equals and supported each other, and have become good friends of mutual trust and good partners for win-win cooperation.
"In recent years, China and Kenya have cooperated in the implementation of a large number of projects under the Belt and Road Initiative such as the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway and the oil terminal at Mombasa Port, delivering fruitful results in Kenya, and giving the people of the two countries greater sense of gains," Xi said.
Xi called for strengthening of communication and collaboration in multilateral settings between the two countries to practice true multilateralism and safeguard the common interests of developing countries.
They also discussed the Asian country's support for Kenya as it strives to modernise infrastructure.
Xi said China supports Kenya's independent exploration of its own path of modernization in line with the country's situation.
He noted that Kenya is welcome to make full use of trade promotion initiatives and platforms such as the "green channel" for African agricultural product exports to China.
The Chinese president added that this will extend to sharing China's market and the dividends of China's opening up, and increase the export of high-quality products of Kenyan features to China.
"China encourages more Chinese enterprises to invest in Kenya, expand cooperation in the digital economy, new energy and other fields, and help Kenya realize green development."
President Ruto on his part said Kenya's relations with China have always been grounded on trust and respect.
He noted that Kenya has benefited greatly from cooperation with China, especially since President Xi Jinping proposed the Belt and Road Initiative.
President Ruto expressed confidence that the eight major steps proposed by President Xi for high-quality Belt and Road cooperation will further help Kenya and Africa achieve industrialization, agricultural modernization and economic integration.
"Important projects such as the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway have greatly enhanced Kenya's economic development capacity and improved the well-being of its people," he said.
Ruto has been in China for a three-day official visit.