1. Kenyan President Meets with CPC Delegation on Friendly Ties with China
March 28, 2012. By Zhangxu: CRI
Kenyan President and head of the Party of National Unity (PNU) Mwai Kibaki on Tuesday met with Liu Qi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the Beijing Municipal Committee of the CPC, on friendly ties between the two countries and the two parties.
On the same day, Liu attended the opening ceremony of Beijing- Nairobi Innovation & Design Research Center and visited the Confucius Institute in Nairobi University. He also met with Achim Steiner, the executive director of the United Nations Environment Program, at the UN headquarters in Nairobi.
http://english.cri.cn/6909/2012/03/28/2021s689630.htm
2. Chinese auto maker sets eyes on market in Africa
March 28, 2012. By Xinhua.net.
NAIROBI - Chinese automaker Foton Motor group has opened an assembly plant in Nairobi in a bid to explore the market in Kenya and East Africa.
The plant, which cost $50 million, was officially opened Monday by Prime Minister Raila Odinga and a visiting Chinese delegation led by Liu Qi, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China Central Committee.
At the opening ceremony, Odinga said Kenya had to embrace manufacturing as a means of restoring and strengthening the middle class. Odinga said a strong middle class is critical to Kenya's growth and stability.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/bizchina/2012-03/28/content_14930120.htm
3. China urges talks between ECOWAS, Mali junta to end crisis
March 30, 2012. By Xinhua.net
BEIJING, March 30 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday urged the Mali military junta and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to explore ways to end the ongoing crisis in Mali following last week's military coup.
"China supports ECOWAS in leading mediation for peace in Mali," Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said at a routine press briefing.
He urged relevant parties in Mali to establish dialogue channels with ECOWAS as soon as possible and seek solutions to end the crisis.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2012-03/30/c_131499247.htm
4. China urges response to Annan's peace plan
March 30, 2012. By Xinhuanet
China on Friday called on Syria's opposition to respond to the six-point peace plan proposed by UN-Arab League joint envoy Kofi Annan as soon as possible.
"China welcomes the positive response from the Syrian government to Annan's proposal. At the same time, we urge the opposition to give a prompt and practical response to the peace plan, to create conditions for ending violence and initiating political dialogue," said a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman at a regular press briefing.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/china/2012-03/30/c_131499477.htm
5. Chinese passengers have new choices flying to Kenya
April 10, 2012. By Xinhua
Chinese passengers now have new choices flying to Nairobi, as the UAE national carrier Etihad Airways has launched flight services linking Abu Dhabi and the Kenya's capital.
Chinese passengers can fly from Beijing, Shanghai or Chengdu to Nairobi via Abu Dhabi.
"In particular, this new route services the considerable and growing flow of people and capital between Kenya and North Asia, with major Chinese investment in Africa generating passenger demand in both directions," said Etihad Airways President and Chief Executive Officer James Hogan.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2012-04/08/content_14998526.htm
6. Vice Premier Urges Promotion of Sino-Ugandan Relations
April 4, 2012. By Xinhua via Focac.org
Chinese Vice Premier Hui Liangyu calls on China and Uganda to take the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties as an opportunity to jointly promote the bilateral friendly and cooperative relations to a new stage. Hui made the call when he met with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni in Kampala, capital of Uganda.
He said China and Uganda share a profound traditional friendship and that the bilateral relations of the two counties enjoy a healthy development. http://www.focac.org/eng/zxxx/t920755.htm
7. Fund sets new aims for Africa
April 13, 2012. By Ding Qingfen: China Daily
The China-Africa Development Fund is shifting its investment strategy with the focus now on infrastructure, manufacturing and agriculture, after a capital injection of $2 billion, Hu Zhirong, vice-president of the fund, said.
Besides energy and resources, the fund is looking at projects in "infrastructure, manufacturing, new energy and agriculture", to boost Africa's standard of living, he said in an interview.
http://usa.chinadaily.com.cn/2012-04/13/content_15041592.htm