STATEMENT BY HIS EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT UHURU KENYATTA DURING

THE STATE BANQUET HOSTED IN HONOUR OF HIS EXCELLENCY LI

KEQIANG, PREMIER OF THE STATE COUNCIL OF THE PEOPLES
REPUBLIC OF CHINA, AT NAIROBI, 10 MAY 2014
Your Excellency, Li Keqiang, Premier of the State Council of the Peoples
Republic of China,
Your Excellency, Professor Cheng ong,
!istinguishe" #uests,
La"ies an" #entlemen,
$ am greatly please" to host Your Excellency an" your "elegation tonight%
$t is a pri&ilege that you chose to &isit Kenya on the auspicious commemoration
of the historic &isit to 'frica by Chinas (rst premier, is Excellency )hou Enlai,
one of the most "istinguishe" statesmen of the last century%
*his great an" sua&e man lai" the foun"ation for the partnership our t+o great
countries en,oy to"ay% is brilliant foresight an" excellent strategy are the
cornerstones of the time-honoure" cooperation bet+een 'frica an" China%
Your Excellencys &isit also coinci"es +ith the #ol"en .ubilee anni&ersary of the
establishment of "iplomatic relations bet+een our t+o countries, in /012% 3e in
Kenya, an" in"ee" across 'frica, are grateful to your country for so gallantly
supporting the liberation struggles of many 'frican countries against the
tyranny of colonialism% *hat pre-in"epen"ence support is a lasting symbol of
our share" &alues of free"om an" "ignity for all%
Your Excellency,
Kenya attaches great importance to the special relationship bet+een our t+o
countries%
*he outcome of the remar4able a"&ancement in our relations is &ery clear% 3e
are +itnessing inter-"epen"ent economies, impro&e" li&ing stan"ar"s, tighter
soli"arity an" greater in5uence in international a6airs% 3e ha&e also seen
enhance" peace an" security, especially in the region%
#ro+th in e&ery area of our cooperation is anchore" by our share" &alues, an"
by our (rm commitment to a share" "e&elopment path aptly espouse" by the
late sage% 3e stan" as equal partners in a common e6ort to o&ercome the
challenges of "e&elopment, an" to buil" a ,ust an" equitable +orl"%
$ belie&e strongly that in this ne+ era, 'frica an" China +ill "ri&e global
economic gro+th%
!e&elopment in China +ill o6er limitless opportunities for our continents
gro+th7 li4e+ise, "e&elopment in 'frica +ill further fuel Chinas gro+th%
Your Excellency,
's Chinas eastern gate+ay to 'frica, +e in Kenya clearly recogni8e our special
role in strengthening ties bet+een 'frica an" your ancient ci&ili8ation%
3e are conscious of the nee" to consoli"ate existing partnerships7 to protect
our share" "e&elopment an" gro+th7 to ensure that "e&elopment is all-
inclusi&e an" lea&es no one behin"7 an" to sei8e the opportunities of this ne+
an" promising era for 'frica an" China%
$t is for these reasons that $ ma"e my mai"en state &isit outsi"e 'frica to your
great country, "uring +hich our t+o nations too4 the ,u"icious step of
establishing a Comprehensi&e Cooperation Partnership, +hich +ill further
a"&ance our excellent bilateral ties for our future of share" prosperity%
$ ha&e &ery fon" memories of my &isit an" our meeting last year% *han4 you for
being +on"erful hosts 9 +e "elighte" in your gracious hospitality%
*onight +e celebrate the "eep, longstan"ing, an" sincere frien"ship +e share,
an" the &ery promising future +e are marching to+ar"s% $t is no+ my pleasure
to as4 all of you to rise to the toast:
*o the ;< years of frien"ship bet+een the people of our t+o countries an" to a
future of share" prosperity an" a Comprehensi&e Cooperation Partnership%
*han4 you an" #o" =less you all%