Hello, and welcome to this edition of  Africa Express here on China Radio International. I'm your host, Wei Tong. 

CRI reporter Wei Tong (L) and the owner of Touch Africa, Cheng Hui. [Photo: CRIENGLISH.COM]

My dear listeners in Kenya,

Jambo na Karibu Katika Kipindi Cha Africa Express! (greeting words in Swahili) This is your host Wei Tong with warm greetings from China Radio International in Beijing. Today, November 30, is a special day for our weekday show Africa Express.

This will be your last time hearing the familiar theme music and also my final presentation for my dear African listeners.

I hereby would like to convey my sincere gratitude to our listeners who stick to my program Africa Express during the past two years. With your support, CRI's first overseas FM radio station, 91.9 FM has gained much influence among the Kenyan public and the friendship between China and Kenya has been further enhanced.

Now let's get to know some loyal listeners.

Mogire Machuki used to work at a petroleum company. He's been CRI's loyal listener for many years and also the monitor of CRI programs. In one of his letters to me, he wrote:

"Africa Express is one of the CRI programs that I never miss to tune in to. I am always listening to your program with my family. As a chief CRI monitor from here in Kenya, it's fantastic to let you know CRI is now a household name here despite the fact that there are a lot more fm pressure from other stations. Please keep up the good work!"

Xavier Lincolyn Telly-Wambwa from Bungoma, Kenya. He wrote to me about one of my programs that impressed him the most.

"I was listening to your program Africa Express which talked about a Chinese woman called Zhu Mingying who is a musician. She came to study African music in Africa. It was so fascinating to hear one of her best-known songs Baspusa from Congo in the program. So allow me to call her a Chinese/African Musician enthusiast because of her love of music and Africa. We hope that other like minded Chinese will equally follow her footstep."

Each time I receive letters from my listeners, I can not help but feel excited and moved by their sincerity and friendliness. They show warm concerns about China, its development as well as the lives of their fellow countrymen in China.

In the programs, we got to know a Kenyan girl who believed herself to be the descendant of a sailor who served in Chinese great navigator Zheng He's giant fleet hundreds of years ago. She is studying traditional Chinese medicine here.

"I am happy to be in China and meet nice Chinese people. I feel very proud of being a descendant of Chinese people."

And also South African Zulu dance troupe presented a dynamic performance to promote its culture in Beijing.

And we also have the story of a Chinese entrepreneur Luo Hong who actively donated the money from the auction of his breathtaking pictures of African pure nature and wildlife into environmental protection.

"With my photos, I want to show the spectacular aspects of nature as well as the damage it suffers, to arouse people's concern of environmental protection."

That is the message my program wants to deliver. Through these stories, Chinese and African people can get to know each other better and the friendship between the two sides can be greatly enhanced.

To be frank, I've been more fascinated with Africa, which through my eyes, is a magical and magnificent continent full of passion and vigor since I started hosting the show two years ago. The conclusion of Africa Express doesn't mean the end of my career with Africa. I am prepared to face up a new challenge.

I'll be CRI's correspondent in Nairobi, Kenya starting from early next year. Quite exciting and inspiring news! Isn’t it? That is to say I will be embracing the charming country soon and cover stories on the spot through the popular CRI's 91.9 FM in Nairobi and also KBC. I would write local reports about East Africa from the angle of a Chinese correspondent.

Anyway, my dear listeners, I hope you can enjoy my future programs and continue to tune in to 91.9 FM, China Radio International in Nairobi, Kenya and log onto our website at www.crienglish.com. And also looking forward to seeing you in Kenya in the not-too-distant future!

Thanks again for your great support for me, my program Africa Express and CRI! This is Wei Tong and bye for now! Asante Sana na Kwaheri! (thank you and bye-bye in Swahili)