Nairobi Kenya — President William Ruto has bid farewell to Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Dr. Zhou Pingjian, who has completed his four-year tenure in the country.
In a statement, President Ruto acknowledged the strong partnership between Kenya and China, emphasizing the mutual benefits of their collaboration in various sectors. He congratulated Ambassador Pingjian for his exceptional efforts in advancing the relationship between the two countries.
"Our cooperation has yielded significant progress in infrastructure, education, transport, and water projects. The Standard Gauge Railway, superhighways, bypasses, and the construction and equipping of technical colleges are testament to our flourishing relationship," President Ruto said.
Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi also lauded the strategic partnership, describing it as a shared vision for a win-win future that benefits the citizens of both nations.
He reaffirmed Kenya's appreciation for its collaboration with China, which continues to open doors for transformative opportunities and sustainable economic growth.
Ambassador Zhou served as the 17th Chinese ambassador to Kenya and the permanent representative to UNEP and UN-Habitat. He succeeded Wu Peng, who served for just over a year, following the tenure of Sun Baohong, who also served for less than a year.
Kenya and China have enjoyed robust diplomatic ties since elevating their partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in 2017, the highest level of bilateral engagement. As one of China's key strategic partners in Africa, Kenya has benefited from numerous development projects facilitated by this collaboration.
Ambassador Zhou has been a strong advocate for education, overseeing the presentation of Chinese scholarships to numerous Kenyans.
Over 2,000 students have benefited from Chinese government scholarships over the past 60 years, contributing to various sectors upon their return. Recently, the Chinese government awarded 20 new scholarships to Kenyan students and is currently inviting applications for more.
