Kenya steps up China charm offensive amid US trade scrutiny

Kenya is deepening its diplomatic and economic ties with China, a move seen as a strategic pivot amid increasing scrutiny and potential trade friction with the United States (US).

This charm offensive is highlighted by a high-level visit by Kenya’s Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Minister, Musalia Mudavadi, to Changsha, China, for a forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) meeting and related trade expos this week.

The visit comes barely two months after President William Ruto’s State visit to Beijing in early April.

It saw Kenya and China elevate their relationship to a strategic partnership and sign 22 Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) spanning infrastructure, trade, health, and security.

These agreements included commitments to extend Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) beyond Kisumu and dual the Nairobi-Malaba highway from Limuru, along with provisions for direct air links and increased imports of Kenyan produce by China.

The renewed dalliance with Beijing has not gone unnoticed in Washington. The United States has been wary of Kenya’s deepening engagement with China, particularly concerning the financing of large-scale infrastructure projects that have contributed to Kenya’s debt profile.

Mudavadi departed for Changsha last Sunday (June 8, 2025) to attend the Ministerial Meeting of Coordinators on the implementation of FOCAC follow-up actions, running until June 13, 2025.

The FOCAC meeting will review the outcomes of the 2024 Summit of Heads of States and Governments and set the agenda for the next summit.

During his stay, Mudavadi aims to “further deepen and inject vitality into bilateral relationships between China and Kenya that have spanned over six decades,” according to a press statement from his ministry.

President Ruto’s April State visit solidified a framework for enhanced economic collaboration.

A key outcome was the agreement to pursue direct flights between Nairobi and Beijing, a move aimed at boosting trade, tourism, and people-to-people connections.

The leaders also reaffirmed their commitment to infrastructure development, including the SGR network, a cornerstone of China’s Belt and Road Initiative in East Africa.

Beyond infrastructure, the agreements focused on crucial sectors. Healthcare cooperation is a priority, with China pledging to support Chinese enterprises in collaborating with Kenya to develop local healthcare industries.

Transnational crime

It also recognises Kenya’s urgent needs in medicine and vaccine shortages. Security cooperation was also outlined, with both nations agreeing to strengthen policing ties to combat transnational crime through an impending MoU.

Financial cooperation was also a key aspect, with China acknowledging Kenya’s role as a financial hub in East Africa.

Beijing pledged to support Chinese financial institutions in setting up branches in Kenya and explore diversified forms of financial cooperation, including the potential for “panda bonds” in compliance with market rules.

Critically, the agreements encourage more leading Chinese enterprises to invest in Kenya to expand competitive production capacity and upgrade industrial chains.

China also committed to importing more Kenyan products to balance bilateral trade.

President Ruto had previously pushed for a free trade agreement, a move that officials said would provide long-term, stable, and predictable institutional support for trade and investment.

In Changsha, Mudavadi will also attend the opening of the fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo and the China (Chongqing)-Africa Investment and Trade Cooperation Forum.

The China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, co-hosted by China’s Ministry of Commerce and the Hunan Provincial Government, is a biennial event focused on trade, agriculture, investment, and financing, serving as a key platform for implementing FOCAC’s economic and trade measures.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is also slated to attend the FOCAC Ministerial Meeting from June 10 to 12, 2025 and the opening ceremony of the Expo.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian stated that China-Africa relations are “at their best in history,” emphasising that both sides have made significant progress in implementing the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit held last September.

Advancing modernisation

Lin noted that China aims to enhance coordination with African countries, including Kenya, to implement President Xi Jinping’s six proposals and ten partnership initiatives for jointly advancing modernisation.

Following his engagements in China, Mudavadi is scheduled to travel to Helsinki, Finland, to represent President Ruto at the Kultaranta talks, further signalling Kenya’s broader diplomatic outreach beyond its deepening ties with Beijing.

Washington’s decision to impose a 10 per cent tariff on Kenyan goods has prompted Nairobi to explore stronger partnerships with Beijing.

As Western nations scale back foreign aid, China has assured African states, including Kenya, of its commitment to their development through bilateral trade and investment, pledging to deepen relations and expand cooperation with regional countries.

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, speaking at a press conference, earlier in the year, on the sidelines of the country’s annual parliamentary session in the Chinese capital emphasized China’s enduring partnership with Africa.

“China and Africa have always been good friends, good partners and good brothers with a shared future,” Wang Yi said, highlighting the “all-weather” nature of their relationship. 

He pointed to the 25-year history of the forum on China-Africa Cooperation, citing tangible achievements such as the construction of nearly 100,000 kilometres (km) of roads and over 10,000km of railways.

“China-Africa cooperation can be seen, touched and has benefited African brothers and sisters,” he added, referencing the impact of Chinese hybrid rice in alleviating hunger.

Wang Yi’s assurances come at a time when many African nations like Kenya are facing a retreat of Western aid. 

Analysts say this comes at a crucial time, as Kenya, facing financial constraints and dwindling Western aid, increasingly looks to China for development support.  China is Kenya’s largest bilateral creditor, with the State eyeing additional support to complete key infrastructure projects.

Recent announcements from the US, Germany, and the United Kingdom, citing budgetary constraints and policy reassessments, have signalled a reduction in development assistance, raising concerns among Kenyan and other African officials.

The withdrawal of Western support has prompted African nations, including Kenya, to seek alternative partnerships.