Kenya’s President Ruto deepens ties with China

“Kenya is open for business, and our partnership with China is built on mutual respect and shared progress,” Ruto said during a joint press conference.

Kenyan President William Ruto has reaffirmed his country’s commitment to closer ties with China during a five-day state visit to Beijing, signaling a strategic shift in Kenya’s foreign policy amid rising global trade tensions.

President Ruto met with Chinese President Xi Jinping and oversaw the signing of 20 new bilateral agreements covering infrastructure, vocational training, e-commerce, water resource management, and advanced transport systems. The deals are part of China’s ongoing Belt and Road Initiative, through which Kenya has already received billions of dollars in investment.

“Kenya is open for business, and our partnership with China is built on mutual respect and shared progress,” Ruto said during a joint press conference.

A major focus of the visit was infrastructure development, with China committing to extend Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway toward the Ugandan border. Ruto also announced plans to open a Kenyan consulate in Guangzhou to facilitate trade and investment.

The visit comes at a time of shifting alliances, as African nations reassess their global partnerships. Ruto criticized the current international order as outdated, calling the UN Security Council “broken” and warning that protectionist policies like US tariffs could permanently destabilize global trade.

Kenya’s pivot to China reflects a broader trend across Africa, where leaders are increasingly looking East for investment, technology, and political alliances.