In a celebration blending tradition, diplomacy and cultural exchange, Kenya’s capital hosted a grand reception on February 10 to mark the imminent Chinese New Year and formally conclude the 2025 China-Kenya Culture and Tourism Season. The event brought together senior government figures, diplomats, lawmakers, scholars, business leaders and cultural practitioners in recognition of the deepening ties between the East African nation and China.
The reception, held in Nairobi and hosted by the Chinese Embassy in Kenya, also celebrated a series of cultural showcases and bilateral initiatives that took place over the past year. Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Guo Haiyan delivered remarks emphasizing both festivals’ visible role in strengthening people-to-people connections and fostering a broader community of shared future between the two nations.
Cabinet Secretary for Kenya’s Ministry of Gender, Culture, the Arts and Heritage Hanna Wendot Cheptumo, represented at the event by Principal Secretary Ummi Bashir, highlighted the vibrant cultural partnership between Kenya and China – spanning media, education, heritage, archaeology, tea diplomacy and museology. Since the launch of the Culture and Tourism Season in mid-2025, more than a hundred Kenyan officials and industry specialists in culture and tourism have benefited from training programs in China, demonstrating tangible outcomes of sustained cultural engagement.
The reception featured lively cultural presentations that underscored the mutual appreciation of artistic heritage on both sides. Performances ranged from traditional music and dance to martial arts, leaving audiences energised by the blending of Kenyan and Chinese cultural motifs.
These festivities built on a series of events that began weeks earlier with the Chinese New Year Gala at Two Rivers Mall – a cultural showcase featuring lion and dragon dances, musical performances, and participatory displays that drew hundreds of Kenyans and international visitors. Students of Chinese language and local performers alike took the stage, reflecting the rising interest in intercultural dialogue.
The cultural season represents just one dimension of the broader China-Kenya bilateral relationship, which has been steadily expanding in recent years. In April 2025, Kenya and China agreed to elevate their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, ratified during President William Ruto’s state visit to Beijing. This partnership has produced more than 20 cooperation agreements across sectors such as infrastructure, education, digital innovation and trade, reflecting a multi-faceted collaboration beyond cultural exchange.
Economic links remain strong. Kenya is positioning infrastructure networks – such as the Standard Gauge Railway and planned highway expansions, within broader connectivity frameworks that involve Chinese financing and expertise. Recent reports indicate ongoing negotiations on trade arrangements designed to expand Kenyan exports to the Chinese market.
Cultural diplomacy initiatives such as the China–Kenya Film Festival, Confucius Institutes, and archaeology partnerships around Lake Baringo and Lake Bogoria further illustrate the breadth of cooperation in people-to-people and academic spheres.
As Kenya prepares to usher in the Year of the Horse, leaders from both nations have called for continued collaboration in 2026, a year marked by the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Africa and designated as the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges. Kenya’s cultural and diplomatic leadership anticipates that these symbolic celebrations, alongside expanding economic and strategic cooperation, will pave the way for deeper understanding and shared development across sectors.
