China gives Kenya US$7 mln development grant
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China gave Kenya a 540 million shilling (US$7.16 million) grant on Wednesday during Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi's visit to the country, according to Reuters.
China-Africa relations are enjoying broad popular support and solid political foundation, Yang said, adding the two sides should forge a strategic partnership and increase cooperation in the new decade.
"In fact, through the joint efforts of the two sides, China-Africa relations have made much progress in recent years as evidenced by deeper political mutual trust, closer cooperation for mutual benefit, and stronger people-to-people ties," he said at a joint press conference with Kenyan Foreign Minister Moses Wetang'ula.
The top Chinese diplomat said both China and Africa have met difficulties head-on and accelerated cooperation even in the context of the ongoing international financial crisis. The partnership has become a beacon of international cooperation on development, he said.
"This is the success of China and Africa. This is also the success of South-South cooperation. It showcases the strong vitality and great promise that will be released when the largest developing country and the largest developing continent in the world join hands and move forward," he added.
Yang, who earlier on Wednesday called on Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga before meeting his Kenyan counterpart, said the Fourth Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in November last year spelled out China's commitment to cement friendship, deepen cooperation, face challenges together and seek common development.
Wetang'ula applauded the good relationship between the two countries and expressed appreciation for China's technical and financial support to Kenya, and reiterated Kenya's commitment to the one-China policy, Xinhua News Agency reported.
"Kenya highly appreciates the development assistance extended by China," Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki said in a statement. "The assistance has been substantial in financial terms and has had a considerable impact on Kenya's socio-economic development."
At the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in 2006, President Hu Jintao announced policy measures in eight categories, and the measures had been implemented.
In November 2009, at the 4th Ministerial Meeting of the Forum, Premier Wen Jiabao unveiled eight new measures for promoting China-Africa cooperation in the next three years, including tackling climate change, strengthening scientific and technological cooperation, enhancing Africa's financing ability and increasing market access for African products.
"Anything which will serve the interests of the Kenyan people is and will be China's top priority," Yang told reporters.
His six-nation trip takes him to Nigeria on Thursday, then to Sierra Leone, Algeria and Morocco before ending in Saudi Arabia.
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