Deng Xiaoping: Commemorating the Birth of a great reformer.

August 22, 2014 was a very important day for the Chinese people as well people in developing countries. On this day, we payed tribute to a man credited with China’s economic miracle that continues to inspire all developing countries. Perhaps no one in the twentieth century had a greater long-term impact on world history than Deng Xiaoping. Therefore, as friends of China who continue to draw inspiration and support from China’s economic prosperity, we stand together with our Chinese counterparts to Celebrate the 110 birthday of paramount leader and great reformist, Deng Xiaoping.

Deng Xiaoping was a Chinese politician and reformist leader who led China towards a market economy. He was instrumental in China's economic reconstruction following the great leap forward in the early 60s. He is widely considered an architect of a new brand of socialist thinking, having developed socialism with Chinese characteristics and led the successful economic reforms in China through a synthesis of theories that became known as the socialist market economy. Under him, the world came to witness one of history's most dramatic stories of economic transformation in the once-isolated, formerly poor and frail China. He is generally credited with developing China into one of the fastest growing economies the world for over 30 years and raising the living standards of hundreds of millions of Chinese people.

Deng’s sweeping economic reforms brought in copious flows of FDI and changed the face of China in the over two decades from one of the poorest countries to the world's second largest economy only after the US. He opened China to foreign investment, the global market and limited private competition. He was a revolutionary nationalist who wanted to see China standing on equal terms with the great global powers.

China's economic miracle represents an attractive model of state-led capitalist development that has dramatically enhanced the economic fortunes of many developing and emerging economies. The so-called "Beijing Consensus" reshaped the terms of international trade and investment that opened up fair trade policies for developing countries.

Therefore, Deng Xiaoping is a role model for statesmanship and reformist leaders that all developing countries look up to. He took power in 1978, when China was in dire poverty. By the time he stepped down 14 years later, over 200 million people had been lifted out of poverty, and the policies he introduced set China on the path to become an economic powerhouse. We celebrate him and wish our Chinese brothers a happy celebration of Deng Xiaoping's 110th birthday to be celebrated on August 22.

China seeks greater cooperation with Arab Nations

On June 5, 2014, the Chinese government hosted the 6^th Ministerial Conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum (CASCF) at the great hall of the people in Beijing. With the theme “building modern Silk Road and promoting China-Arab common development, the Conference brought together delegates from Arab states and the Arab league with their Chinese counterparts to discuss further cooperation in economic, political, cultural and educational fields. More than 200 delegates were in attendance including foreign ministers and representatives of China and the League of Arab states (LAS). Africa was well represented by Sudan, Somalia, Djibouti, Algeria, Libya, Morocco and Tunisia.

President Xi Jinping graced the opening ceremony of the ministerial conference and delivered an important speech stressing the promotion of the Silk Road spirit to deepen the china-Arab cooperation. The Silk Road is a series of trade and cultural transmission routes that connected regions of the Asian continent from China through the Mediterranean Sea by linking traders, merchants, pilgrims, monks, nomads and urban dwellers during various periods in historical times. Trade on the Silk Road was a significant factor in the development of the civilizations of China, the Indian subcontinent, Persia, Europe, and Arabia, opening long-distance, political and economic interactions between the civilizations. During the coming of age of Islam, Arab traders became very prominent.

In his speech, president Xi Jinping said that through the ancient Silk Road, the ancestors of the Chinese and Arab peoples took the lead in the friendly exchanges among nations in the ancient world. It is in this historical context that he hoped the two sides will promote the Silk Road spirit and take the joint construction of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the Maritime Silk Road of the 21st Century for the benefit of the Chinese and Arab people. The Silk Road proudly bears the spirit of peace and cooperation, openness and inclusiveness, mutual learning, mutual benefits and win –win results.

China and the Arab states enjoy mutual understanding and friendship because of the Silk Road, and are natural cooperative partners in jointly building the "One Belt One Road". The two sides should hold a broader vision and down-to-earth attitude to establish a "1+2+3" cooperation pattern, namely, to take energy cooperation as the core, infrastructure construction, trade and investment facilitation as two things and three;  high and new tech fields of nuclear energy, space satellite and new energy as new breakthroughs.

Foreign Minister Abdurrahman Beileh of Somalia met with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and discussed the current situation in Somalia. He expressed that Somalia is now facing very big challenges and hoped to carry out cooperation with China in the fields of road network, port construction and agriculture.

China is the old friend and traditional trade partner of Somalia. The famous Chinese navigator Zheng He passed the costal shores of Somalia to the Kenyan coast of Malindi where he decked. A constantly developing Somalia is good for the Silk Road maritime trade. Wang Yi expressed that the Chinese side will firmly support the peaceful and social development of Somalia and will reopen the Chinese Embassy in Somalia as soon as possible. He further stated that China stands ready to continue to strengthen security cooperation, provide assistance to the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and send the convoy fleet to safeguard the maritime security in relevant waters.

The conference achieved major positive outcomes and consensus was achieved on all the major directions, priority fields, specific measures and implementation road map in strengthening China-Arab cooperation. Both sides signed three important documents including the "Beijing Declaration", the "Action Plan for 2014 to 2016" and the "Development Plan for 2014 to 2024", proposing cooperation ideas, cooperation measures and cooperation routes on how to achieve mutual benefits and win-win results between China and the Arab states. Among the documents, the "Development Plan" puts forward the overall objective and advancement direction for the development of the China-Arab relations and determines 15 key cooperation fields such as economy and trade, energy, culture, industry, agriculture, science and technology, health care, education, press and publication, infrastructure, aerospace, environmental protection and non-governmental exchanges.

The "Action Plan" stipulates that in the following two years, both sides will continue well organizing the seven major institutional activities such as the China-Arab Business Conference and Investment Seminar, China-Arab Energy Cooperation Conference, Seminar on China-Arab Inter-civilization Dialogue, China-Arab Friendship Conference, China-Arab Press Cooperation Forum, and China-Arab Senior Health Officials' Meeting. It also determines that in the following two years, both sides will focus on eight major cooperation intents such as establishing China-Arab senior officials' strategic dialogues, promoting the construction of the free trade area between China and the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf, establishing China-Arab Technical Training Center of Desertification Prevention and Control, and implementing China-Arab Scientific and Technological Partnership Program.

The 6^th Ministerial Conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum (CASCF) was a great success as both sides have become closer and more focused as Arab states are “turning east” while China is seeking greater cooperation for mutual development through the modern Silk Road.

My visit to China Giant Panda Sanctuaries

A visit to the Giant Panda sanctuaries in China is akin to foreigners visiting the Maasai Mara in Kenya. Whereas the Maasai Mara has been named the seventh wonder of the world, the Sichuan Giant Panda sanctuaries was inscribed on the world Heritage list as a natural property by UNESCO. The sanctuaries are, to some degree  ‘a living museum’ where you will find apart from the giant Pandas, golden monkeys, antelopes and other rare animals as well as more than  10,000 species of flora, this being a world-renown biodiversity area. The sanctuaries offer the most awe inspiring sights on earth and a trip to witness this magnificence is an unforgettable experience.

 The Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries are located in southwest Sichuan province of China. They are home to more than 30% of the world's pandas which have since been classified as highly endangered. The area covers 924,500 ha and boasts seven nature reserves and nine scenic parks in the Qionglai and Jiajin Mountains. The sanctuaries constitute the largest remaining adjacent habitats of the rare giant panda and are a relic from the paleo-tropic forests of the tertiary Era which makes them historic objects.

Previous IUCN evaluations have noted the potential to meet natural world heritage criteria citing the earth’s history and geological features with its superlative natural beauty and aesthetic importance to biodiversity and threatened species. The sanctuaries are home to other globally endangered animals such as the red panda, the snow leopard and clouded leopard. They are among the botanically richest sites of any region in the world outside the tropical rainforests, with between 5,000 and 6,000 species of flora in over 1,000 genera.

The Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries are principally renowned for their importance for the conservation of the giant panda and recognized as a “National Treasure” in China as well as a flagship for global conservation efforts. The property is the largest and most significant remaining adjacent areas of panda habitat and the richest sites of any temperate region in China and the world. Underlining the outstanding value is that it protects a wide variety of topography, geology, and plant and animal species. The property has exceptional value for biodiversity conservation and can demonstrate how ecosystem management systems can work across the borders of national and provincial protected areas.

The range of landforms within the sanctuaries contributes greatly to its high scenic value. There are 20 special scenic areas within the property, each possessing its own unique features. These include steep forested valleys, scenic rivers, rocky crags, wide alpine meadows and the mountain peaks of Siguniang Mountain. The area is vast and breathtaking covering a total area of 9,245 square kilometers in 12 counties and four cities and prefectures. These are Chengdu, Ya'an, Aba and Garze.  

The Giant Panda’s themselves are the most lovable creatures on earth. They have a simple, rather naive look and seeing them automatically translates to loving them. They have small black ears, a big head, a round face and the famous “black eye patches”. Its body is covered with fur which looks like a black and white coat. Giant Panda’s mostly eat and rest and are not aggressive. Because of their humility, they serve as an enduring symbol of peace and friendship in China. They are rare animals and considered as "living fossil" native to China. However, they are endangered species attracting global attention and affection in equal measure. With fewer than 1,000 in the wild and 100 in captivity, its extinction may be only a matter of time if the conservation efforts stop. They not only constitute one of China's national treasures, but they are of universal value in terms of the protection of biodiversity.

Panda tourism is big business in China as more and more are people are discovering this hidden paradise. Each year 800,000 people visit the country's best-known centre at Chengdu, which is almost 2,000km southwest of Beijing. If you like your animals black, white and unabashedly cuddly, this is the place to be. The Chengdu Railway Station has trains leading to more than 10 large cities in China, including Beijing and Shanghai. There are also regular scheduled bus services to the Sichuan Giant Panda Sanctuaries.

Chengdu is known as the panda capital of the world and is the obvious destination for panda lovers. It is where you will find Panda Base, an important conservation and breeding centre and a green oasis in the city, home to more than 90 of the black-and-white bears. The city of Chengdu loves it pandas and there are homages to them everywhere you go, from taxis with pandas on their bonnets, to the 20ft tall silver statue in the city centre.

China’s success in bringing pandas back from the brink offers important lessons for other countries. The nation that saved the panda has arguably the best record of any developing country for protecting endangered animals, saving not just the panda but also stabilizing populations of Tibetan antelopes and black snub-nosed monkeys. I would therefore recommend a visit to the giant Panda sanctuaries for an experience of a lifetime.

Inaugural world wildlife day marked with good momentum in our wildlife cooperation with China

On March 3, 2014, the world marked the inaugural World wildlife day.  This is the day that the UN general assembly recently established in order to celebrate and raise awareness on the fight against wildlife crime in this precarious era. In retrospect, our country has achieved major milestones in wildlife protection thanks to the support and cooperation from our dedicated ally China.

 

The support and cooperation that we have received from China is remarkable. You might not be aware that every single Chinese citizen who comes to Kenya gets a text message at the point of entry warning them against buying, handling and involvement in illegal wildlife trade. The Chinese Embassy website, the most probable site that a Chinese visitor will log into, contains the same messages urging Chinese nationals to obey local laws and customs with an emphasis on wildlife protection. Kenyans may not be aware of this as well: This is because this information is conveyed in Chinese language. Nevertheless, these are some of the measures that the Chinese government have put in place to support Kenya’s efforts in Wildlife protection.

This kind of cooperation has not been limited to media platforms alone. In January, 2014, the Chinese Embassy and the National forestry Bureau of China conducted a lecture on anti-poaching here in Nairobi. Wildlife stakeholders including Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), Lusaka Agreement Task Force (LATF), and TRAFFIC were all represented. This was a very significant event in the country as it was meant to support anti-Poaching measures in Kenya and to educate and inform the Kenyans and the Chinese community in Kenya against poaching and illegal wildlife trade.

Law enforcement efforts have also been scaled up and implemented in recent years. For example, In 2012, China called for an international crackdown on wildlife crime, and led the first international operation involving 22 countries in an operation dubbed Cobra in early 2013.Last month, out of two coordination centers in Nairobi and Bangkok, China played a leading role in operation Cobra II; the most successful joint sting operation that resulted in the arrest of an Ivory trafficking kingpin and others responsible for funneling large amounts of poached elephant tusks between Africa and China.  This was a major milestone in the fight against illegal wildlife trade and other forms of wildlife destruction as the stronghold in Kenya was effectively broken.

As a result of a vigorous campaign by the government with the support of the Chinese government, people from all walks of life are responding positively and actively to contribute to the well being of our wildlife. Notably, several Chinese nationals have joined the efforts by the Chinese government and the Kenyan government in this cause. They include Mr. Huo Long who established the Luo Hong Environmental Protection fund at the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP) here in Nairobi and donated ksh 150 million to the conservation of Lake Nakuru National park. Luo Hong has been of great service to the Kenyan nation, and in recognition for this; he became the first foreign national to be awarded a state commendation award (Moran of the Order of Burning spear by the former president, Mwai Kibaki.

Others include Zhuo Qiang, commonly referred to as “Simba” who left a good government job in China, his wife and a 7 year old daughter to come to Kenya to support conservation and Yao Ming, the famous Chinese basketball player who was in Kenya recently. Yao Ming teamed up with “save the elephants” and Ol Pejeta conservancy to shoot a documentary highlighting the dwindling populations of Rhino’s and elephants in Kenya. The documentary titled “wild aid” highlights the beauty and economic importance of wildlife tourism.

The dual offensive and the cooperation against poaching and smuggling of wildlife products between Kenya and China is a show of commitment and a show of friendship and responsibility. Last year, President Uhuru Kenyatta and President Xi Jinping met in Beijing, China where the Chinese president emphasized the need to work together on issues of common concern. The two countries signed a deal worth $5 billion for various projects that included wildlife protection in Kenya. Looking at the decline in the rate of poaching and wildlife crime today, it would be fair to say that this was a noble move that has made a significant impact in our capacity to protect our wildlife. The number of Chinese and Kenyan nationals involved in poaching and wildlife trade has declined significantly. The few cases that we continue to experience are often individuals who are on transit from neighboring countries where wildlife laws and enforcement is still weak.

Chinese Foreign Affairs Minister, Wang Yi said that China and Africa are good brothers who share weal and wore. He added that we are good partners for common development. Isn’t this evident in the cooperation and support that we have received from China? Every Kenyan who has witnessed the worth ethic and determination of the Chinese people in projects like the Thika superhighway and others which have been successful, will be highly optimistic that the 100% commitment that we see in wildlife protection, can be relied upon.

China’s Navy escort missions attest its big power responsibility

The 15^th Chinese Navy Escort Task Force paid a honorary goodwill visit to Kenya at the Mbaraki Berth in Mombasa from January 2 to 5, 2014. This was the first Chinese navy escort fleet to visit Kenya since China started its escort missions in Somali waters at the end of 2008 and was in honor of the 50^th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic ties between China and Kenya.

The visit by the 15^th Chinese Navy Escort Task Force not only highlighted the genuine friendship between China and Kenya but also affirmed China’s solemn promise to safeguard world peace and security. It also marked a happy occasion in China-Kenya relations with a great historical significance. The great Chinese navigator and naval pioneer, Zheng He, visited the Kenyan coast of Malindi and completed several epic voyages in East Africa after defeating major pirates in Somali waters as early as 1368-1644 AD, during the Ming Dynasty.

The Task Force had just successfully completed its escort missions in the Gulf of Aden and Somali waters and was on its journey back to China after handing over to the 16^th Chinese navy Escort Task Force. It was composed of two ships; “Jing Gangshan” Landing Platform Dock (LPD) 999 and “Heng Shui” Frigate 572. In the past four months, this glorious fleet escorted 181 ships from countries all over the world, with a success rate of 100%.

Since 1978 when China began opening up and reforming its economy, it has gradually accumulated its national strength, improved its image and taken an active role in international affairs. As it marches towards the centre of the world arena, China has been compelled to take International responsibilities matching its power, status and position. Despite inexperience in fulfilling great power responsibilities, the Asian nation has been swiftly thrust into the role of a great power and has resolutely taken these responsibilities in a stride. This is a profound interpretation of China’s image as a responsible power.

Great power responsibilities include financial, humanitarian, global governance and politics, international security etc. China is positively engaging the International community in addressing these challenges in a more primary role. It has increased its involvement in non-traditional security issues, and sought a more understanding of the world, especially Africa, to achieve a strong sense of responsibility.

The UN Security Council adopted four resolutions in 2008 calling on all countries and regions to help patrol the gulf and waters off Somalia, where increasing piracy was posing a great danger to international shipping in one of the world's busiest sea lanes. As a responsible member of the international community, China felt obliged to implement the United Nations Security Council resolutions to curb piracy on the gulf of Eden and protect the safety of marine routes.

Since then, it has undertaken navy escort missions and anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia and successful endeared itself to the international community which in the beginning were wary of China’s intentions and feared that it would challenge the security or commercial interests of other countries in the region. Those doubts have been cast by the highly disciplined task forces that have been discreet and above board with strict observance of UN resolutions and other relevant international laws. They have proved that they are simply interested in guarding the international waters from armed pirates who are our common enemies.

Former Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said during a regular briefing that China will take concrete actions to ensure world peace and stability, and practice the people-first foreign policy. He also stressed that China will adhere to the path of the peaceful development and practice a non-aggressive defense policy. This is a positive step for China’s diplomacy and its commitment to global security is bound to lead to a better and a more peaceful world.

China has sent a total of 16 task forces of ships to the Gulf of Aden and waters off Somalia for escort missions. Among the over 5,000 vessels they have escorted, more than 50% are foreign vessels. During these escort missions, the officers and men of the Chinese naval escort taskforces effectively ensured the safety of ships and men on board carrying goods and humanitarian supplies of international organizations including the United Nations World Food Program, winning widespread praise from home and abroad.

Maintaining world peace and advancing common development is an important mission for the Chinese military in this new era. China understands that it bears a great responsibility as an emerging power and explains that participation in world security cooperation is by no means an enlargement in sphere of influence or even territorial expansion. Rather, it is for an enabling regional security environment, for interests to be shared with other nations, and for fulfillment of its due international responsibilities and humanitarian obligations. These deployments do not go against China's foreign policy of non-interference in other nations' affairs.

China has become a player and builder of international peace and security. The times and tides of the 21^st century point to China’s new reading that seeks bonds of cooperation, peace and prosperity.