NAIROBI, June 18 (Xinhua) -- Kenya's Confucius Institute at Moi University (CIMU) in collaboration with China's Donghua University on Monday held a fashion show in Nairobi as part of efforts to promote linkages between Kenya and China.
Peter Simatei, the Kenyan director of CIMU, said the fashion show is expected to act as a communication platform between the governments and companies in the two countries.
"The show is to help showcase the Chinese and Kenyan textile with the aim of boosting Kenya's economy," Simatei said during the ongoing China Trade Week in Nairobi.
Huang Peixi, the Chinese director of CIMU and general supervision of this program, said this fashion show will also help promote the China-Kenya relationship and deepen the understanding of the two peoples.
Huang noted that the display will help the two countries improve on their fashion and thus promote their culture.
Han Zheyu, Director of Shanghai Greater Donghua Fashion and Innovation Center, revealed that the next fashion show that will be held in China will see students showing the rich Chinese culture.
"This is an important platform for showing the two countries cultures as opposed to only showing economic developments," he added.
Zhuo Wu, chairman of the Kenya Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCC), hailed the show as a platform for promoting trade and commerce between the two countries.
"We are looking at opportunities of working together with the Kenya business community that could help promote Kenya's Big Four Agenda," he said.
Zhuo said the chamber has embarked on ensuring that Chinese companies set up companies locally to help create employment and growth instead of producing and selling product made in China.
Kabui Macharia, from the Fiber Crops Directorate at the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), noted that Kenya is keen on learning the technology from China to help promote the cotton sub sector that almost collapsed in the country.
"We welcome the fashion show as an opportunity to enable us show case our products even as we trade with the Chinese people," he added.
Launched in 2015, CIMU is the first Confucius Institute featuring textile engineering and fashion design and is operated by Kenya's Moi University and China's Donghua University.
It offers courses in mandarin, Chinese culture and tutoring class to students in and out of the Moi University.