Back in the early 15th Century, the biggest ship in the world visited the Kenyan coast.

The ship’s commander, Zheng He, was one of the greatest navigators during China’s Ming Dynasty (1368-1644 AD).

He can be compared to Marco Polo, Vasco da Gama, Ferdinand Magellan and Christopher Columbus. During one of his seven voyages to the western sea, Zheng brought Chinese porcelain and friendship to Kenya.

In return, the residents of Malindi gave him a giraffe. Zheng proudly took the animal back to China. The giraffe was kept in the imperial court. This gesture prompted what was to be referred to as “giraffe diplomacy”.

Afterwards, many countries vied with one another to present giraffes to the Ming Dynasty in exchange for silk, porcelain and tea. Later, the king of Malindi himself travelled to China in Zheng’s fleet where he lived for the rest of his life.

It would be appropriate, therefore, to claim that friendship between China and Kenya started almost 600 years ago with a beautiful and elegant giraffe.

In an interesting twist of destiny, an opportunity to reciprocate the goodwill gesture is about to happen in the form of Peace Ark, another ship from China.

The Chinese Navy hospital ship will visit Mombasa from October 13 to 18, and provide free medical services to Kenyan civilians and servicemen.

It houses a rescue helicopter, 32 medical departments, 300 hospital beds and a wide range of diagnostic medical equipment.

Among its 428 medical and support staff are experts in key specialisations including neurologists, surgeons, radiologists, dermatologists, biomedical engineers and psychologists.

The doctors will diagnose and treat local citizens at the Kenya Red Cross, Mombasa branch. Where necessary, patients will be transferred in batches to the ship for further treatment.

A medical team from the ship will also visit a primary school and an orphanage in Mombasa and physically examine children.

The team will disseminate knowledge on healthcare and donate medicine, health supplies, stationery as well as sports goods to both the school and the orphanage.

My wish is that the Peace Ark becomes a window into the heart of China for Kenyans. This visit is, no doubt, a statement of the true friendship the Chinese people share with the people of Kenya.

The friendship between China and Kenya has enjoyed steady growth since the two countries established formal diplomatic relations in 1963, only two days after Kenya won its independence.

In recent years, China has been co-operating with Kenya in the field of healthcare. At the moment, a new hospital financed by the Chinese Government is being built in the Eastlands estates of Nairobi.

Upon completion by the end of the year, the hospital will have a bed capacity of more than 100. China is also cooperating in the fight against malaria.

In 2009, the Chinese Government donated anti-malarial medicine worth $850,000. In the same year, China assisted in establishing the Malaria Prevention and Treatment Centre at Kenyatta National Hospital.

In July 2010, China donated medical equipment for reproductive health worth of $300,000 to Nazareth Hospital in Central Province. The equipment will help to improve the health of Kenyan women and reduce maternal mortality.

—Published on Daily Naiton and The Standard, Monday, 11 October, 2010