By Judy Maina
NAIROBI, Kenya – President William Ruto of Kenya arrived in Beijing on Tuesday evening for the start of a four-day state visit, marking his third trip to China since taking office in 2022.
The visit, made at the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, comes at a time of shifting geopolitical alignments and growing trade tensions between Kenya and the United States.
The trip is expected to strengthen bilateral cooperation in areas such as infrastructure, technology, and commerce. According to Kenyan officials, talks will focus on the stalled Naivasha–
Malaba railway extension and a proposed expressway linking Nairobi to Mau Summit, both key pieces in Kenya’s long-term transport agenda.
Mr. Ruto’s renewed engagement with Beijing follows the recent imposition of a 10 percent tariff on all Kenyan exports to the United States by President Donald J. Trump—an abrupt policy shift that has rattled Nairobi and accelerated its efforts to diversify trade partnerships.
China already holds the top spot among Kenya’s trading partners and is viewed by Nairobi as a crucial economic ally.
Kenya is likewise a strategic commercial foothold for Beijing in East Africa, where it enjoys deep investment ties and expanding political influence.
In previous visits, Mr. Ruto attended the Third Belt and Road Forum in October 2023 and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in September 2024.
This week’s state visit signals a maturing diplomatic relationship that both governments appear eager to elevate.
Kenya may also use the talks to push for increased market access for key exports, including tea, and seek fresh lines of credit amid tightening fiscal conditions at home.
Whether Beijing will deliver on Kenya’s infrastructure wish list remains to be seen. But what’s clear is that both countries are playing a long game—one shaped as much by roads and railways as by shifting global alliances.
