China and Kenya, two distant developing nations, sealed five pacts yesterday aimed at further strengthening bilateral ties and opening up potential markets.

Favorable loans, air services, cooperation in broadcasting, quality control and quarantine are the focus of the agreements.

President Hu Jintao and visiting Kenyan President Mwai Kibaki witnessed the signing ceremony. Both sides vowed to make great efforts to further the long-term and mutually beneficial relations in the future.

The five-day visit is Kibaki's first personal trip to China since he assumed office in 2002.

Hu said China is willing to enhance trade cooperation with Kenya through communication, transport, electricity and infrastructure projects. New ways of cooperation would also be explored.

Ties between the two countries do not stop at business. Hu also called for more frequent exchanges in culture, education, health and human resources.

Hu noted cooperation between China and Africa has broad and bright prospects. China would work together with Kenya and other African countries to strengthen the new Sino-African partnership by holding the China-Africa Cooperation Forum, he said.

The Kenyan guest welcomed Hu's remarks, saying the two countries have enjoyed close friendship, and Kenya appreciated China's years of support and help.

Kibaki started his tour in Shanghai on Monday when he met with Shanghai Mayor Han Zheng. He spoke about Kenya and China business cooperation during a luncheon with the Chinese business community in Shanghai.

Accompanying Kibaki to China is a business delegation of 11 business people working in tourism, air services and energy fields.

Since March 2004 when Kenya was approved as a tourism destination for Chinese citizens, it has reported a 40 percent surge in the number of Chinese tourists visiting the East African nation.

According to Xinhua's local correspondent, as Kibaki would bring some deals back to Kenya, a Chinese trade delegation is also visiting Nairobi this week, not for selling Chinese products, but buying Kenyan commodities.

The delegation aims to balance bilateral trade, which currently stands in favor of China. Its talks with Kenyan counterparts and local business people are investigating the range of products China can import from the East African country.

(China Daily August 18, 2005)