Ties to grow stronger, envoy says

China will fast-track its industrialization agenda in Kenya and other African countries from August, a senior Chinese diplomat has announced.

Liu Xianfa, the Chinese ambassador in Nairobi, says a raft of agreements is expected in the coming weeks to deepen Sino-Kenya collaboration in a range of areas.

Speaking at the opening of China Trade Week 2016 on June 29, he revealed that Kenyan Vice-President William Ruto will lead a delegation of senior officials and business leaders to China in August.

The visit is expected to result in cooperation deals in many areas and deeper bilateral relations, Liu adds.

President Xi Jinping has talked on several occasions about China's desire to transform Africa into a major industrial zone.

In March 2013, at a meeting for leaders of the BRICS nations (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa), Xi called on each to support Africa's pursuit of stronger growth, accelerated integration and industrialization.

Last year, a delegation of senior Chinese officials took part in a fact-finding mission to three African countries - Ethiopia, Tanzania and Kenya - and concluded that Kenya had greatly reformed its business environment, making it more lucrative to foreign investors.

Lin Songtian, head of the Foreign Ministry's Department of African Affairs, who led the delegation, says several Chinese investors had expressed interest in setting up manufacturing zones and industrial parks along the standard-gauge railway corridor.

Liu echoes this sentiment, saying that in September he will join Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and other officials in Naivasha to launch the first phase of industrialization cooperation between China and Kenya.

"A deal has already been reached between China and Kenya to extend the (Mombasa-Nairobi) Standard Gauge Railway line, which is being built by China Road and Bridge Corp, to Naivasha," he says. "Naivasha is the most appropriate town to set up an industrial park because of the geothermal power plants, the lake and the railway."

China Trade Week 2016, which ran June 29 to July 1, attracted more than 400 Chinese companies from industries including construction, machinery, manufacturing, lighting, jewelry, furniture, aviation and consumer electronics.

The expo, being held for the second year, was organized by the Middle East International Exhibition Group, a company based in Dubai.

Michelle Meyrick, the company's international events director, says China last year overtook India as Kenya's largest source of imports.

"For the first event (in 2015, also in Nairobi), we were expecting about 3,000 visitors, but we received more than 16,500," she says. "This shows that this platform is needed to bring high-end Chinese manufacturers together with business owners and entrepreneurs from Kenya."

For China Daily

(China Daily Africa Weekly 07/08/2016 page25)