China supports Kenya in sustainable development

AVIC training is opening doors for an increasing number of young high school graduates by giving them an invaluable opportunity to acquire invaluable practical skills for employment. It is hoped that this initiative will meet the demands of the labor market in the industrial sector, helping Kenya achieve her economic and social development goals as contained in Vision 2030, the country's economic blueprint.

Lately, Kenya has developed the Big Four Agenda in the medium term, with transforming manufacturing forming the backbone of the country's social and economic development.

Still, there are areas of improvement. The main one has to do with cultural differences, both customary and corporate. Kenyans feel that China should reach out more to the ordinary citizen, who is susceptible to propaganda that aims at painting the two countries partnership negatively.

One person's actions cannot be generalized as the defining character of a people. The Chinese feel that the misdemeanors of a few individuals from their country should simply be taken as the rotten apple that soils the others' reputation.

There also is the issue of a widening balance of trade between the two countries. To be fair to China's efforts, it is Kenya that really needs to step up. For instance, Kenya's response to the CIIE needs more effort. Currently, only nine companies are exhibiting at the Expo, mainly in food and agriculture, financial services, tourism, medical equipment and health care.

Kenya's private sector must be more aggressive in tapping not just into the Chinese market, but other lucrative markets globally. The country must leverage her pole geopolitical pole position in the region to create more demand for goods and services.

But for Kenya to take big steps economically and attract more Chinese investors, the government must take serious measures in improving the investment climate and introduce advanced technology and concrete measures to improve her investment climate.

The writer is a university scholar, and public policy analyst based in Nairobi, Kenya.