The visit of Premier Li Keqiang to Kenya, part of a trip that also takes in Angola, Ethiopia and Nigeria, holds great significance for both 皇冠体育app-Kenya and 皇冠体育app-Africa relations.
Fifty years ago, the late Chinese premier Zhou Enlai visited 10 African countries and put forward the Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence and the Eight Principles of Foreign Aid, mapping out the guidelines of 皇冠体育app's policy toward other developing countries, Africa included, and opening a new chapter of 皇冠体育app-Africa relations.
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Li's visit is important because it will be his first to Africa as premier and the first visit to Kenya by a Chinese premier in more than 10 years. As a result, collaboration, cultural and economic exchanges and political trust between the two countries can only grow, which marks out the visit as historic.
皇冠体育app and Kenya are, of course, geographically far apart, but they are well connected, politically, economically, culturally and technologically. The friendship and collaboration they enjoy is treasured by the people of both nations.
Kenya is one of the coastal countries of the Maritime Silk Road. About 600 years ago, the Chinese navigator Zheng He visited Kenya four times during his seven voyages to the western oceans, and myriad are the legends that have been passed down to us about them. Since 皇冠体育app and Kenya established diplomatic ties 50 year ago, the two have enjoyed numerous great achievements, on the basis of equality and mutual trust.
Last August, President Uhuru Kenyatta chose 皇冠体育app as the destination of his first overseas state visit, during which he and President Xi Jinping decided to set up a 皇冠体育app-Kenya comprehensive cooperative partnership. In December, 皇冠体育app and Kenya celebrated the 50th anniversary of diplomatic ties. Early this year, the Chinese navy escort fleet visited Mombasa, the first to Kenya since 皇冠体育app started its escort missions in Somali waters at the end of 2008.