GUO HAIYAN: Welcome Africa's diversification of cooperative partners and jointly practice true multilateralism

President William Ruto paid a successful state visit to China last month. The two countries agreed to elevate the bilateral relationship to a China-Kenya community with a shared future for the new era and to build the China-Kenya relationship into an inspiring example in developing the all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era. 

This important consensus is the strategic choice of the two sides in line with the historical trend and the direction of our times. The elevation of the relationship means that the strategic mutual trust has reached a new height and that the cooperation has been expanded in dimensions, areas and depth. 

The upgrading of China-Kenya relationship will not only effectively enhance and deepen the bilateral exchanges and cooperation, but also holds significant implications for guiding the China-Africa relationship as well as the unity and cooperation among the Global South. This is a good thing for China, Kenya, African countries and the Global South, winning widespread acclaim and support from the international community. 

Regrettably, a few people in a certain country raised the criticism, arbitrarily accusing Kenya of distancing herself from the alliance with their country and even calling for reassessment of relations with Kenya.

Kenya is an independent and sovereign country, and has the right to diversify cooperation partners as well as strengthen and expand her own circle of friends. As fellow developing countries and important members of the Global South, China and Kenya share the same or similar positions on many issues and a wide range of common interests. It is the natural aspiration and legitimate right of China and Kenya to enhance friendly cooperation. 

From a broader perspective, China and Africa have a long history of friendly exchanges. The two sides have firmly supported each other and forged deep bonds in the course of history through fighting against imperialism and colonialism and striving for national liberation, development and rejuvenation. 

China has never been a latecomer in Africa and has never attempted to sabotage any African countries or asked them to take sides. It is for the shared aspiration to achieve development and rejuvenation that China enhances mutually beneficial cooperation and builds an all-weather community with a shared future for the new era together with Kenya and other African countries. 

This cooperation is not targeted at any third party and should not be subject to accusations, interference or disruption by any third party. If anyone feels nervous or uncomfortable about it, that is possibly because it belies their narrow, Cold War mentality.

For well-known reasons, this world is far from tranquil, laden with intertwined risks and challenges as well as many unstable and uncertain elements. Certain country embraces unilateralism and protectionism, practices power politics and bullying, and wantonly withdraws from international treaties and organisations, delivering heavy blows to international rules and the international order. 

As a result, the awakening of the Global South is gathering pace, further strengthening the aspiration of the Global South countries for unity, cooperation and self-reliance as well as the opposition to external interference. 

The African continent is the epitome of the Global South striving for prosperity and rejuvenation. Colonial invasion, hegemonism and power politics brought enormous difficulties to African people and inflicted historical injustice upon Africa. Countries held accountable for Africa’s plight should respect the independent choice of development path by African countries and stop interfering, exerting pressure, imposing sanctions and other wrong practices. 

They should take concrete actions to help Africa develop its economies and improve people’s well-being, rather than wantonly cut aid or impose tariffs. They should listen to the calls of African countries and practice true multilateralism rather than apply international rules selectively out of self-interest.

The world enjoys peace when countries cooperate and descend into chaos when countries clash. All countries, big or small, strong or weak, are equal members of the international community. We advocate an equal and orderly multipolar world where decisions are made through extensive consultation, nobody is superior to others and might does not mean right. Countries can choose to establish partnerships based on common interests and shared aspirations and promote the new model of international relations of mutual respect, fairness and justice, and win-win cooperation. 

This is the stance and proposition that China has always advocated. This is also the important principle that China follows when developing relations with other countries. Both China and Kenya are important members of the Global South in pursuit of development and rejuvenation, as well as partners in building a more just and equitable global governance system. 

China is ready to work together with Kenya and other countries to actively promote the global governance vision of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits, to improve the global governance system, to make the international order more just and equitable and effectively uphold international fairness and justice.

Ambassador of China to Kenya