President Ruto’s Upcoming Visit to China – His Second in Six Months
President William Ruto is preparing for a four-day official visit to China, scheduled from Tuesday, April 22 to Saturday, April 26.
The trip follows a formal invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping and marks Ruto’s second journey to the Asian powerhouse in just six months. His previous visit was in September 2024.
In a statement issued by the Chinese Embassy in Kenya, the embassy confirmed: “At the invitation of Chinese President Xi Jinping, Kenyan President William Samoei Ruto will pay a state visit to China from April 22 to 26.” This upcoming trip reflects the deepening relationship between the two nations.
One of the major goals of Ruto’s visit is to secure new funding for large-scale projects in Kenya, with particular focus on extending the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR). This railway, backed by Beijing, is expected to be expanded to reach Kenya’s border with Uganda, boosting regional trade and connectivity. Strengthening diplomatic relations with China — the world’s second-largest economy — is also a key part of Ruto’s agenda, especially at a time when China continues to face a trade standoff with the United States, Kenya’s long-time ally.
The ongoing tariff disputes between the US and China have created diplomatic challenges for many countries like Kenya, which rely on partnerships with both global powers. Ruto’s visit seeks to carefully balance these relationships while securing tangible development support for the country.
This new trip comes just a few months after President Ruto attended the 9th Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in Beijing.
That visit was fruitful, as Kenya managed to secure billions of shillings in support for infrastructure development.
It also opened up more opportunities for exporting Kenyan agricultural products to the Chinese market and deepened strategic cooperation between the two nations.
A major achievement from the FOCAC summit was a deal for Ksh40 billion in concessional funding from China.
This funding is earmarked for the completion of 15 stalled infrastructure projects across 10 counties in Kenya.
These projects cover a wide range of sectors including roads, electricity transmission, ICT networks, and access to clean water.
Among these initiatives, extending the Standard Gauge Railway from Naivasha to Malaba stands out as a top priority.
The goal is to enhance cross-border trade and regional integration with neighbouring countries such as Uganda, South Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Another important outcome of the previous visit was Kenya’s entry into the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), a move that is expected to provide greater access to long-term infrastructure financing.
Additionally, Ruto’s administration is pushing for a fresh approach to Kenya’s debt relationship with China.
The National Treasury is working on reforms to ensure transparency in public borrowing and to guarantee that any new loans lead to measurable development benefits.
As part of efforts to diversify Kenya’s borrowing strategy, the government is increasingly turning to the Chinese currency, the Renminbi (RMB), in its financing plans.
RMB-denominated loans, particularly from institutions like the China Eximbank, are seen as more favorable due to their concessional interest rates, extended repayment terms, and lower risk from US dollar exchange rate fluctuations.
Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has been actively involved in this financial diplomacy. He recently led a high-level delegation to Beijing to engage with Chinese officials and explore additional funding options.
China remains one of Kenya’s largest external lenders, with the country currently owing China over one trillion shillings.
President Ruto’s second visit is therefore seen as a crucial step in building on recent gains, unlocking more development funding, and ensuring that Kenya continues to benefit from its strategic partnership with China while navigating a complex global economic environment.
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