Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta said on Wednesday that the country welcomed more Chinese investment, and that Kenya would like to become the portal of Chinese products into Africa.

The president made the remarks while meeting with visiting Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Nairobi.

"China is a true friend and important partner to Kenya. We have been supporting each other for a long time, " Kenyatta said, adding that Kenya's economic and social development was growing at a rapid pace with investment from China.

Kenya would like to further strengthen the bilateral economic cooperation and political ties through high-level visits and party exchanges, he said.

Kenyatta also showed great interest in China's Belt and Road Initiative, hoping to promote joint construction of the East African Railway in order to make mutual benefits between China, Kenya as well as others East African countries.

Wang first conveyed President Xi Jinping's greetings to Kenyatta. "By the direct driving of the two heads of state, present Sino-Kenya relations are in the best period of history. We have strong confidence in prospects of the relationship of the two countries," he said.

China hopes to took Mombasa-Nairobi Railway construction as a hook to construct a new pattern of cooperation with railway, seaport and economic zone, said the minister.

China is also willing to take advantage of its own power to promote Kenyan industrial corridor in a bid to speed up the industrialization process, he added.

Zhang Yaozhong contributed to this story.

anbaijie@chinadaily.com.cn