The Confucius Institute was invited to participate in the 55th anniversary celebration of the China-Kenya diplomatic Relations at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Nairobi on Friday, December 14, 2018. The colourful ceremony commemorated the establishment of diplomatic relations at Ambassadorial level between China and Kenya that were formalized through a China-Kenya joint communique published on December 14, 1963. This milestone was preceded by a visit to Kenya by a top-level Chinese delegation led by Marshal Chen Yi, Vice-Premier and Foreign Minister of the Peoples’ Republic of China. Their mission was to attend Kenya’s Independence celebrations on December 12, 1963 and the communique issued two days later made China the fourth Country to establish formal diplomatic relations with newly Independent Kenya.
The event was attended by many dignitaries, including foreign mission representatives in Kenya. The Chief Guest was Mr. Raphael Tuju, Cabinet secretary and Secretary-General of the Jubilee Party accompanied by Mr. Adan Duale, Majority leader of the National Assembly. Other guests included Mr. Shakeel Shabbir, Chairperson of the Kenya-China Friendship Group of the Parliament, Richard Tong'i, Vice-chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Defense and Foreign Relations of Parliament, and Ms Sarah Serem, Kenya’s Ambassador-designate to China.
The Chargé d'affaires at the Chinese Embassy, Mr. Li Xuhang lauded the long period of partnership between the two Countries that has brought with it political, economic and social transformation for both countries as well as forging close links. He noted that, "China-Kenya relations are at a new historical point, with unprecedented opportunities and broad prospects. Facing the future, we will continue to uphold the principles of strategic mutual trust, win-win cooperation with shared benefits, and push forward the better alignment of the Belt and Road Initiative and Eight Major Action Plans of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Beijing Summit with Kenya's Big Four Agenda, to achieve faster and greater development of China-Kenya relations."
In his remarks, Mr. Tuju noted that China had contributed significantly to Africa's struggle for freedom against colonialism and that this cooperation has evolved over the years and is evident in transformative development projects, including infrastructure expansion, agriculture modernization, industrialization and skill transfer. To mark the event, four Kenyan public Universities, including Kenyatta University, received a combined scholarship award worth five-million Kenya shillings. Other Chinese government scholarships were awarded to outstanding students to study in Universities in China. Kenyatta University was represented by the CI Director, Dr. Kamau Wango.