China, Kenya upgrade ties amid 'turbulent international situation'

By Farah Master

China and Kenya announced they had upgraded ties to a "new level" on Thursday during a meeting between President Xi Jinping and Kenyan President William Ruto in Beijing, as they both pledged to create an "all-weather" China-Africa community.

In a joint China-Kenya statement, both leaders said they were "committed to injecting more stability into the world with the certainty of China-Africa solidarity and cooperation".

This would provide a backbone to safeguard the "common interests of developing countries", it said, and defend the multilateral system, via "inclusive economic globalisation".

The decision to upgrade China-Kenya relations was made "in the face of a turbulent international situation", the Chinese president was quoted as saying in a separate media pool report.

Africa is a key focus of Xi's ambitious Belt and Road Initiative, launched in 2013 to extend China's geopolitical and economic influence through global infrastructure development.

Kenya has been a key BRI recipient, and Nairobi has taken a raft of loans from China to finance infrastructure construction projects that have made China the East African nation's biggest bilateral lender.

Among new projects announced by the Kenyan presidency on Thursday, China will invest in the extension of a standard gauge railway to the border with Uganda. Completion of the line has stalled since 2019 due to lack of funds.

China will also invest in the expansion of a major highway linking the capital Nairobi with the Rift Valley city of Nakuru, through a public-private partnership model, it said.

Ruto's office did not provide details on the deals, but previous Kenyan government estimates have put their value in the billions of dollars each.

Xi and Ruto signed 20 documents together on Thursday, according to a media pool report. These included agreements on science and technology cooperation, vocational education, water resources, ecommerce, intelligent transport systems and the railway sector.

Kenya has been struggling with a heavy debt load and the accompanying cost of servicing it.

Ruto, who took office in September 2022, has promised that his government will not default on its external debt, pledging to cut waste and boost revenue to tackle the challenge.

It is Ruto's first state visit to China as president of Kenya.

INCREASED COOPERATION

Ruto and Xi's joint statement said both countries would continue to uphold the World Trade Organisation's values and basic principles and "resolutely oppose new hegemonic tactics such as illegal unilateral sanctions, 'decoupling and chain breaking', tariff barriers and technological blockades".

The two sides said they would deepen peace and security exchanges by strengthening cooperation in personnel training, the military industry, counter-terrorism, joint exercises and training.

Chinese companies can cooperate with Kenya in building a local medical and health industry according to Kenya's needs, the statement said.

Both sides are also willing to rely on major projects such as the Mombasa-Nairobi railway to enhance infrastructure construction and connectivity within Africa.

The opening of direct flights between Beijing and Nairobi was also being "actively explored", it said.