Kenyan President Ruto in Beijing: Third Visit After Assuming Office

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The visit, on the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, is expected to bring the two countries closer together in sectors such as trade, transport, and technology.

Kenya’s president, William Ruto, arrived in Beijing for a four-day state visit to China. It is the third time since taking office that Ruto has visited China. He previously attended the Third Road and Belt Forum in October 2023 and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in September 2024.

The visit, on the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, is expected to bring the two countries closer together in sectors such as trade, transport, and technology. This comes in the wake of 10% tariffs applied by US President Donald Trump on all Kenyan exports to the US.  China is a key interest, currently taking the top spot in Kenya’s list of most important trade partners.

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Meanwhile, Beijing also has commercial interests and ties that it could seek to deepen: Nairobi is currently its biggest source of trade in East Africa. Kenya could also be seeking to increase its export opportunities and open up new markets for some of its products, such as tea.