On Monday, President William Ruto met with Chinese President Xi Jinping upon arriving in China for the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit.
According to Hua Chunying, the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs and spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the leaders discussed various bilateral issues and recognized their mutual contributions to each other’s economic growth.
“China and Kenya have jointly launched numerous flagship connectivity projects, which have significantly driven local economic and social development, benefiting people in both countries. China is keen to explore further synergy between our development strategies and to enhance the comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership between our nations,” Chunying said.
Before his departure, State House indicated that strengthening bilateral ties and exploring new cooperation areas were top priorities for Ruto. He arrived in China on Monday, accompanied by First Lady Rachel Ruto and former Prime Minister Raila Odinga.
Ruto will participate in the high-level FOCAC summit in Beijing from September 4-6, 2024, which aims to improve the China-Africa partnership. The forum includes all African states except the Kingdom of Eswatini.
During the summit, Ruto is expected to negotiate multi-million-dollar deals with China, focusing on infrastructure and trade. Raila Odinga is anticipated to engage with African leaders to garner support for his bid for the African Union Commission chairperson position.
Additionally, Ruto will attend the China-Africa Entrepreneurs Conference, where he will advocate for increased Chinese investment in Kenya’s infrastructure, healthcare, and technology sectors. Kenya aims to finalize agreements on projects such as rural road construction, the Nairobi Intelligent Transportation System, and the Bosto Dam Water Supply Project.
