Dr. Zhou Pingjian, Chinese Ambassador to Kenya,held a virtual event to celebrate the 71st anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China on September 28, 2020. Over 100 guests attended, including Hon. Tom Amolo, Political and Diplomatic Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, friends from Parliament, universities, media and enterprises. Representatives from Chinese communities in Kenya and diplomats of the Embassy are also present.

Amb. Zhou said that, under the strong leadership of President Xi Jinping and the CPC Central Committee, China has fought a fierce war against the COVID-19 epidemic this year and achieved decisive victories. China has taken the lead in epidemic control, vaccine development and economic recovery. This has highlighted China's great resilience, strong ability of recovery and enormous vitality. With China's spirit in combating the COVID-19 epidemic, the Chinese people and the Chinese nation will certainly forge ahead on the great journey in the new era against all odds. No force can stop Chinese people's march toward a better life.

Amb. Zhou said that China has put forward to establish a new development pattern in which domestic and foreign markets can boost each other with the domestic market as the mainstay, bringing about more development opportunities to the world. The brotherly South-South cooperation between China and Kenya is equal-footed and mutually beneficial. Our cooperation and mutual assistance in the fight against COVID-19 represents a prime example of solidarity in the face of a disease. China will work with Kenya to take forward Belt and Road cooperation and the implementation of the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the Extraordinary China-Africa Summit on Solidarity against COVID-19, and in that context, strive for new progress in the China-Kenya comprehensive strategic and cooperative partnership.

Amb. Zhou also said that China is a founding member of the UN and the only developing country that takes a permanent seat on the Security Council. Kenya is going to serve on the Security Council for the third time for the period 2021-2022. Both China and Kenya attach great importance to the work of the UN and remain firmly committed to multilateralism. We should join hands to uphold the values of peace, development, equity, justice, democracy and freedom shared by all of us and build a new type of international relations and a community with a shared future for mankind, making the world a better place for everyone.

Hon. Amolo conveyed gracious greetings and heartfelt congratulations to 71st Anniversary Of PRC's Founding, representing President Kenyatta, the Government and people of Kenya. The character and talent of the Chinese people, their creativity, endurance, ingenuity and expertise, hard work, and enormous sacrifices, coupled with the great spirit of cherishing unity and pursuing dreams and under the foresighted and steadfast leadership of President Xi Jinping, China is today closer to achieving the 'Chinese Dream' of national rejuvenation.

Amolo said that the year 2020 has been a challenging one. China has set a good example for the world in epidemic prevention and control as well as economic recovery. The people of China stand with Kenya, giving tremendous support to Kenyan. It is a show of the true mark of friendship. The high-value cooperation between Kenya and China in the broader Forum on China Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and Belt and Road Initiative(BRI) frameworks has great achievements. This partnership has augmented the delivery of our developmental blue-print, Vision 2030 and the Big 4 Agenda. We have confidence that Kenya and China will continue to cooperate and give priority to poverty alleviation and inequality eradication at the multilateral front.