For those that may not be in the know, the Chinese people and culture emphasises on building a friendship as a precursor to their diplomatic, trade and social engagements. For instance, if a Chinese invites you to dine together, expect to do a lot of toasts for friendship in the course of the meal.

With this understanding, it is curious why Beijing chose to host President William Ruto for a State visit in under a year after a similar honour by the United States.

This is particularly significant given the fact that the US and China are presently embroiled in a bitter trade war over tariffs. Notably, Ruto presumably received a low-key reception the last time he made an official visit to Beijing in October 2023.