NAIROBI -- Chinese President Hu Jintao and Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki
agreed here Friday to make joint efforts to further promote bilateral long-term,
stable and reciprocal cooperation in various fields.
During their talks, Hu expressed his satisfaction with the continuous
development of bilateral relations and said China attaches great importance to
bilateral relations and takes Kenya as an important cooperative partner in
Africa.
To enhance bilateral cooperation in various fields, Hu made a four-point
proposal.
The first is to keep high-level contacts, strengthen personnel exchanges,
maintain exchanges of views on issues of common concern such as governance,
economic development, improvement of peoples' lives, and international and
regional issues. They should also strengthen coordination and cooperation in the
multi-lateral arena such as the United Nations.
The second is to actively implement bilateral cooperative agreements on
expanding trade and investment, and promote cooperation in processing trade,
agriculture and development of human resources.
The third is to expand cooperation in such fields as culture, education,
health, tourism, media, environmental protection and sports.
The fourth is to strengthen cooperation within the framework of the
China-Africa Cooperation Forum and make joint efforts to ensure a success of the
forum's meeting scheduled for November this year in Beijing.
Kibaki agreed with Hu, saying that the Kenyan side will keep the traditional
friendship with China and deepen bilateral pragmatic cooperation.
Hu spoke highly of Kenya's positive role in east African affairs.
Kibaki said he hoped that China will continue to support the realization of
peace, stability and development in east Africa.
He said Kenya supports the China-Africa Cooperation Forum and will strengthen
cooperation with China to push forward the development of the forum.
After the talks, the two presidents attended a signing ceremony for bilateral
cooperative documents covering economy, trade, culture and education.
Hu arrived here Thursday on a three-day state visit to Kenya as Kibaki's
guest.
Kenya is the last leg of Hu's five-nation tour which has already taken him to
the United States, Saudi Arabia, Morocco and Nigeria.
China and Kenya set up diplomatic relations in 1963 and bilateral trade
volume last year amounted to 475 million U.S. dollars, up 29.7 percent year on
year.