President William Ruto met with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Thursday, reaffirming Kenya’s commitment to strengthening its strategic partnership with China. The leaders emphasized collaboration in infrastructure development, trade, and regional connectivity.
“We will strengthen co-operation with China to confront our challenges and push for our shared success,” President Ruto stated. “In particular, we will upgrade our infrastructure to promote connectivity, hence facilitate trade in Kenya and within the region.”
During the meeting, the two nations signed 20 agreements covering areas such as science and technology, vocational education, e-commerce, water resources, intelligent transport systems, and railway development.
President Xi Jinping highlighted the importance of China-Kenya relations, stating that both countries had agreed to “lead the development of China-Africa relations and unity and cooperation of the Global South.”
Kenya has been a significant beneficiary of China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), receiving extensive Chinese investment and loans for major infrastructure projects, including the Nairobi Expressway and the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway.
President Ruto expressed gratitude for the warm reception, saying, “Thank you, Your Excellency President Xi Jinping, for the reception at the Great Hall of the People, Beijing, China.”
