By Issa Hussein - Reporter
Kenya, July 1 , 2026 - Kenya and China have reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation on environmental conservation, renewable energy and climate resilience through closer parliamentary engagement.
The commitment was made on Wednesday during a meeting between the National Assembly's Departmental Committee on Environment, Forestry and Mining and a visiting delegation from China's National People's Congress (NPC) at Parliament Buildings in Nairobi.
The Chinese delegation was led by Lu Xinshe, a Member of the Standing Committee and Chairperson of the Environment and Resources Protection Committee of the 14th National People's Congress.
Speaking during the meeting, Committee Chairperson Vincent Musyoka (Mwala) said the engagement provided an opportunity for both legislatures to deepen parliamentary ties while exploring cooperation in environmental protection, renewable energy and green investment.
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"Kenya and China continue to enjoy a strong and enduring bilateral relationship founded on mutual respect, friendship and a shared commitment to sustainable development," Musyoka said.
He noted that the discussions would enable both sides to exchange experiences on environmental legislation, parliamentary oversight and committee-to-committee collaboration in support of Kenya's sustainable development agenda.
Musyoka said Kenya is particularly interested in learning from China's experience in mobilising green financing, expanding electricity access in rural areas and integrating environmental safeguards into infrastructure and extractive sector projects.
"Kenya is eager to learn from China's success in rural electricity connectivity and would benefit from renewable and low-carbon technology transfer," he said.
Deputy Speaker Gladys Boss said the longstanding partnership between Kenya and China has expanded beyond infrastructure to include education, technical and vocational training, tourism and environmental conservation.
She noted that the increasing number of Chinese tourists visiting Kenya presents opportunities to boost economic cooperation while helping address the trade imbalance between the two countries.
Boss said Kenya has stepped up climate action initiatives in response to the increasing impacts of climate change, including prolonged droughts and devastating floods.
She cited the government's ambitious programme to plant 15 billion trees over a ten-year period as one of the country's flagship environmental initiatives.
The Deputy Speaker also highlighted Kenya's position as one of Africa's leading producers of renewable energy through geothermal, wind, solar and hydropower generation.
Leading the Chinese delegation, Lu thanked the Kenyan Parliament for its warm reception and praised the country's parliamentary processes.
He said the longstanding friendship between Kenya and China provides a strong foundation for expanding cooperation in environmental conservation and sustainable development.
"Our friendship and cooperation have a long history, and we believe this provides a solid foundation for our future cooperation," Lu said.
He added that the recent State visit by China's Vice President to Kenya in March had further strengthened bilateral relations between the two countries.
Lu emphasised the critical role legislatures play in protecting the environment through sound legislation and effective oversight.
"I believe our role is to find a way through cooperation and legislation to fully implement environmental conservation," he said.
Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Guo Haiyan, who accompanied the delegation, pledged the embassy's continued support in facilitating collaboration between the two parliamentary committees.
"Although there is now direct contact between the two committees, the Embassy would like to continue serving as a bridge for even closer collaboration and cooperation," Ambassador Guo said.