Sino-African Cooperation: Kenya Signs Trade Agreement with China

Kenya announced a trade agreement with China to support its farmers. According to reports from Nairobi, Kenyan farmers should soon be able to enjoy tariff-free access to the Chinese market. President William Ruto of Kenya revealed this information during a plenary session addressing representatives of Kenya's private sector on Wednesday, August 6, 2025.

According to reports, this agreement between Kenya and China was partly discussed during the president's visit to Beijing in April this year. This agreement is part of Kenya's strategy for trade diversification.

Details of the trade agreement with China disclosed by Kenya's president

China has agreed to remove tariffs on several agricultural products from Kenya, including tea, coffee, avocados, and others.

President William Ruto described this as a major development. He stated that the bilateral agreement is currently being finalized, but the relevant measures are expected to come into effect officially in the "next few months." At that time, Kenyan agricultural producers will gain tariff-free access to a market with over a billion residents.

Kenya authorities hope to alleviate the trade imbalance with China

The same report indicated that Nairobi hopes to alleviate the trade imbalance with China: In 2024, Kenya's imports from China exceeded 4 billion dollars, while its exports to China were approximately 240 million dollars. Additionally, Kenya also hopes to diversify its export routes to cope with the 10% tariff imposed by the United States on its exported products. Overall, the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is set to expire this September. That trade agreement with Washington previously allowed a large number of African products to enter the US market duty-free. It especially benefited Kenya's textile industry.

In the final part of the report, President William Ruto of Kenya commented, "Some of our friends complain that we have too much trade with China." But he emphasized, "It is in Kenya's best interest." China also announced earlier this June that it intends to cancel tariffs on imported goods from the African continent.

Source: rfi

Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1840111013462028/

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