Kenyan President William Ruto signed a $1 billion agreement with China during a five-day state visit to Beijing, aimed at deepening the strategic partnership between the two nations.
The deal, announced Wednesday, targets key sectors under Kenya’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA), including manufacturing, agriculture, and tourism.
The agreement allocates $950 million to priority areas: $320 million for manufacturing, $430 million for agriculture, and $230 million for tourism.
Notable projects include a $150 million construction deal with China Wu Yi, $400 million for agricultural initiatives in Baringo led by Zonken Group, and a $230 million tourism investment by Hunan Conference Exhibition Group, marking its first venture in Kenya.
Ruto highlighted the transformative impact of Chinese-funded infrastructure, such as the Standard Gauge Railway, Lamu Port, and Nairobi Expressway, emphasising Kenya’s role in the Belt and Road Initiative.
“These projects are reshaping Kenya and enhancing East African connectivity,” he said in Beijing.
This visit, Ruto’s third to China since taking office in September 2022, follows previous trips for the 2023 Belt and Road Forum and the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Summit. It underscores Kenya’s commitment to strengthening ties with China amid shifting global economic alignments.
Bilateral trade hit a record high in Q1 2025, reaching $2.24 billion, up 11.9% year-on-year, according to China’s General Administration of Customs.
China’s exports to Kenya grew 11.8%, while imports from Kenya rose 13.2%, marking six consecutive quarters of growth.
Since establishing diplomatic relations over 60 years ago, China and Kenya have elevated their ties to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in 2017.
