Xiplomacy: China, Kenya join hands on path to modernization

NAIROBI -- For centuries, China and Kenya have shared a history of exchanges and cooperation. Last week, their relationship has entered a new stage as President Xi Jinping held talks with Kenyan President William Ruto in Beijing, agreeing to elevate bilateral ties to a China-Kenya community with a shared future in the new era.

Xi called on the two sides to enhance regular policy communication, build connectivity at a higher level, promote sustainable trade, explore diversified financial integration, carry forward the friendship forged through generations, and be leaders in advancing high-quality Belt and Road cooperation.

SKILLS TRAINING

Linet Wambui Kihoro, a 27-year-old railway safety engineer, works among tracks and equipment at the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway, a flagship project under the Belt and Road Initiative. A graduate of Beijing Jiaotong University, Kihoro now applies her expertise to maintain the daily operation of Kenya's railways.

In January 2024, Xi replied to a letter from Kenyan students and alumni of Beijing Jiaotong University, including Kihoro.

President Xi encouraged the Kenyan students to learn professional knowledge well, continue the traditional friendship and devote themselves to bilateral cooperation, she said.

"The China-Kenya community with a shared future in the new era is not only a cooperation intention at the governmental level, but is also reflected in various aspects such as people-to-people connectivity, youth exchanges and cultural mutual learning," she said.

According to a joint statement released on Thursday, China and Kenya pledged to strengthen cooperation in such areas as industry, agriculture, higher education, vocational education and human resource training.

An increasing number of young people, like Kihoro, are benefiting from China-Africa cooperation in education and capacity building. From the Mombasa-Nairobi Railway to the Swak Dam, the Nairobi Expressway and the Garissa Solar Power Plant, high-quality Belt and Road projects have not only improved the daily lives of Kenyans but also provided opportunities to learn new skills and knowledge.

James Karimi Njuguna, a Kenyan engineer, participated in the upgrading of the Olkaria I power plant, Africa's first geothermal plant, which had been struggling with corroded pipelines and outdated technology. "Chinese companies revitalized the geothermal fields by optimizing turbine structures and well layouts," Njuguna said. "It was a technological revolution. They modernized the equipment, hired local employees and provided professional training, cultivating a new generation of technical experts in Kenya."

A report by the Kenya-China Economic and Trade Association showed that between 2022 and 2023, Chinese enterprises employed more than 60,000 local workers in Kenya, with a localization rate exceeding 90 percent. This not only increased local employment but also contributed to transforming the technological landscape.