China Ambassador to Kenya Zhou Pingjian has completed his tour of duty.
Ambassador Zhou on Wednesday bid farewell to President William Ruto at State House-Nairobi.
The 17th China ambassador to Nairobi served his full four-year tour of duty, having arrived in August 2020 from Nigeria, which was his diplomatic posting at the time.
Following his meeting with President Ruto, the embassy in a statement said the envoy described his posting to Kenya as “exciting”.
“Since August 2020, I have enjoyed my tour of duty in Kenya. My tenure of office here is exciting, fulfilling and rewarding. I wish to take this opportunity to express my heartfelt appreciation to Your Excellency, the government and good people of Kenya, for the credence, hospitality, support and assistance I have received during my tenure,” the soft-spoken Ambassador Zhou said.
“I take Kenya a home away from home from the bottom of my heart, and I am so proud to call myself a good friend of Kenya. I am leaving Kenya with a heart full of gratitude and reluctance. I remain always a lifetime goodwill Ambassador for China-Kenya friendship,” he added.
President Ruto congratulated Ambassador Zhou for “an exceptionally good job” in advancing ties between China and Kenya.
Ruto said Kenya and China have built a solid partnership over the years that has worked for the mutual benefit of the two nations and peoples in enhancing relationship and development in many areas.
“Our cooperation has yielded massive development in infrastructure, education, transport and water projects. The Standard Gauge Railway, the superhighways and bypasses, and construction and equipping of technical colleges are testament to our flourishing relationship,” he said.
However, coming at a time Kenya was headed to the 2022 General Election, Ambassador Zhou had to deal with negative campaign rhetoric from the Ruto camp, which accused China of lending Kenya expensive loans.
This attituded continued in the early period of the Ruto administration as the President oriented towards the West.
However, relations blossomed and the two countries have exchanged high-level visits, including President Ruto’s two visits to Beijing for the Third Belt and Road Forum and the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.
The Communist Party of China and United Democratic Alliance have also exchanged high-level visits.
During his tour of duty, Kenya-China relations continued to expand in technology and innovation, people-to-people relations, education and TVET training, tea export sourcing as well as fresh produce markets in China.
