Kenya has completed negotiations for a trade agreement with China, according to an announcement by President William Ruto, securing duty-free access to the Chinese market, reported Reuters.
The deal, which builds on a preliminary agreement reached in January this year, will provide Kenya with duty-free access for 98% of its exports to China.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
The Kenyan government expects the finalised arrangement to expand export opportunities and address the existing trade imbalance, as current bilateral trade flows largely favour China.
President Ruto and Chinese officials concluded these talks two months after outlining the initial framework for the deal.
Last year, Ruto visited Beijing where both governments signed several agreements related to financing and cooperation.
Over recent years, Kenya has increased its engagement with China as part of a broader economic strategy.
Alongside these developments, Kenya continues to maintain close ties with the US.
The country is currently negotiating a separate bilateral trade agreement with Washington.
Ruto has responded to criticism from some US officials regarding Kenya’s engagement with China by stressing the need to increase Kenyan exports and narrow the trade deficit with Asian markets.
Ruto also reported that Kenya’s economy remained stable over the past year, citing steady inflation and a stable shilling.
He noted that foreign direct investment (FDI) in Kenya surpassed $2bn in 2025, marking an increase of more than 15% compared to the previous year.
The broader context of Africa’s international partnerships includes shifting patterns of FDI.
Last year, data indicate that after a period of Chinese dominance in African FDI, US companies overtook Chinese investors in 2023 with nearly $8bn invested, almost double that of China, reported DW.
These figures, compiled by the China Africa Research Initiative at Johns Hopkins University and reports from UNCTAD, highlight ongoing economic competition between major powers for influence in Africa’s resource sectors.
