At the National Museums of Kenya in Nairobi, a major wildlife and wetlands conservation exhibition was launched to further strengthen the environmental and cultural ties between China and Kenya. Organized under the theme “Enchanted Encounters: From China’s Yellow Sea Wetlands to African Savannas,” the exhibition marked the International Day for Biological Diversity. On this occasion, both nations pledged to renew their cooperation in biodiversity conservation, ecological protection, and people-to-people exchanges.
This high-profile event was organized by the Xinhua News Agency in partnership with the Yancheng Municipal Government and various Kenyan institutions. The exhibition brought together diplomats, wildlife conservation experts, tourism officials, and cultural stakeholders to celebrate the shared environmental stewardship between Africa and China.
Speaking at the launch, Chen Weihong, Vice Mayor of Yancheng City in China’s Jiangsu Province, stated that despite being separated by vast geographical distances, Kenya and Yancheng share a deep “ecological resonance.” She highlighted that while Kenya is globally recognized as a wildlife paradise, Yancheng is home to a UNESCO World Natural Heritage Site and is an internationally recognized Wetland City. Chen added, “This year marks the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Africa, as well as the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges.” She also noted that her city brought images of iconic species—such as the Milu deer, red-crowned cranes, and spoon-billed sandpipers—to Africa as a symbol of friendship.
Zhou Jun, Deputy Permanent Representative of China to the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), stated that the exhibition reflects China’s strong commitment to global environmental protection. Over the past five years, China’s efforts have successfully protected more than 80 percent of its nationally protected terrestrial wildlife and plant species. Recalling the commitments made at the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing, he emphasized the need for joint solutions to address biodiversity loss. Notably, through the Kunming Biodiversity Fund, established by China with an initial capital of 1.5 billion RMB, 11 African nations, including Kenya, have benefited.
Ying Qiang, Director-General of the Africa Regional Bureau of Xinhua News Agency, referred to Yancheng as “the Kenya of the East.” He noted that the city hosts one of the world’s largest coastal wetland ecosystems and supports over 60 percent of the global population of the critically endangered spoon-billed sandpiper. “Every year, millions of migratory birds travel across 22 countries and regions, completing a journey through the skies as inspiring as Africa’s Great Migration,” he said. The exhibition featured photographs of elephants, giraffes, rhinos, and China’s golden snub-nosed monkeys.
Representing Kenya’s State Department for Wildlife under the Ministry of Tourism and Wildlife, Simon Agunja praised the exhibition for its innovative use of visual storytelling to raise environmental awareness. He emphasized that Kenya highly values its partnership with China, noting that because both countries face shared challenges like climate change and human-wildlife conflict, they must work closer together in research and innovation.
In conclusion, Mukonyi Kavaka Watai, Deputy Director for Research and Innovation at the Wildlife Research and Training Institute, called on Kenya and China to expand their cooperation in joint research, eco-cultural tourism, and practical conservation ahead of the upcoming Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD COP17).
