Kenya’s President William Ruto left for a four-day state visit to China on Monday night. He will meet with China’s President Xi Jinping and officiate over the China-Kenya Business Forum, which will bring together 100 companies from both sides.
Ruto is the first African leader to visit Beijing since the Trump administration imposed global tariffs. His visit will likely provide signals for other African countries about Beijing’s current appetite for cooperation and trade deals as the continent faces both U.S. tariffs and the rollback of its diplomatic presence in Africa.
Ruto’s Beijing Agenda
- STANDARD GAUGE RAILWAY: There have been press reports of a deal to expand the long-delayed SGR network to the Ugandan border. If these are borne out, the visit will likely see the official announcement of the expansion. It would mark a significant return to a project that has long symbolized some of the complications of Chinese infrastructure provision in Africa.
- INFRASTRUCTURE: There will reportedly be talks about a proposed double-lane highway linking the towns of Rironi and Malaba, as well as possible port and airport expansions. These talks will likely focus on innovative financing models to avoid increasing Kenya’s already high sovereign debt to China.
- AGRICULTURAL AID: Kenya was among the first African countries to achieve Chinese market access for avocados. It seeks to expand that market and aggressively expand its trade in coffee. Ruto will also preside over the opening of a Kenya Tea Holding Center in Fujian province, aimed at expanding market access for Kenyan crops.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT? The U.S. and China are increasingly warning small countries to choose sides in the trade war. The visit will provide important cues about how Global South governments will react.
