Kenya's Ruto says visit to strengthen ties with China

As Kenyan President William Ruto is making a state visit to China from Tuesday to Saturday, leaders of the two countries are expected to have dialogues on deepening bilateral cooperation in various areas under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the Belt and Road Initiative to benefit Kenya as well as the entire East African region.

In an interview with Chinese media in Nairobi, Kenya's capital, on Thursday ahead of the visit, Ruto expressed his anticipation of his meeting with President Xi Jinping, saying that it will further strengthen ties between the two nations.

"I am looking forward to this trip because it will give me an opportunity to exchange views at the highest level with President Xi on matters of mutual interest between our two countries," he said.

Ruto said he looks forward to deepening the relationship between the two countries through this visit and engaging in more mutually beneficial cooperation for win-win outcomes.

Ruto said the expansion of the Chinese-built Standard-Gauge Railway, a crucial artery that currently links Nairobi and Mombasa, Kenya's second-largest city, will be part of the discussions during his visit, noting that there are ongoing conversations in the region to expand the railway line to Uganda and eventually to the Democratic Republic of Congo.

He said he will also seek Chinese support to revive other key infrastructure projects including roads. China has been Kenya's biggest trading partner and a major investor in its infrastructure projects.

Ruto said the development of the railway line and roads connecting the region will help in enhancing trade within the region and with the rest of the world.

Noting China's achievements in green energy technologies, he said Kenya is pursuing partnerships with the Asian powerhouse to realize the goal of making the country's power grid 100 percent green by 2030.

Kenya will also seek partnerships with Chinese enterprises on green energy, including electric vehicles, to explore the public-private partnership model with the aim of building the country's manufacturing capacity to serve the country and the entire East African region.

"Kenya's leadership in the renewable energy space will be of benefit to the collaboration between China and Kenya," he said.

Ruto said that Kenya, which has abundant green energy potential, seeks increased Chinese private sector investment, taking advantage of China's strengths in technology, innovation and financial infrastructure.

Noting Kenya's strategic position on the east coast of Africa, Ruto said there is an opportunity for Kenya to work with China and position itself as the manufacturing hub in East Africa, based on its ports in Mombasa and Lamu.

"There is a possibility of connecting the East African coast to the West African coast through the BRI, and with it, Kenya can leverage the manufacturing possibilities that exist using its ports," he said.

He added that partnerships with the Chinese private sector under the BRI could help in promoting regional integration through the construction of roads connecting the East African region.

Ruto also said that China's modernization model is key for Africa in efforts to modernize its agriculture and realize industrialization, leveraging the Asian country's experience and technology. Kenya can learn from the experiences of China and other parts of the world, he said.

Cooperation between Kenya and China, along with Africa-China cooperation, is an important part of South-South cooperation, which currently enjoys growing potential and momentum.

Ruto said that Kenya is currently assessing the possibility of joining the BRICS cooperation mechanism. In a multipolar world, Kenya is dedicated to seeking a broad range of partners, exploring the potential for multilateral cooperation, he said.

This approach aims to create opportunities for Kenyan exports and drive cooperation in the technology sector, ultimately achieving mutual benefits for all parties involved, he said.

Ruto added that Kenya will work with countries that have favorable trading partnerships, focusing on win-win outcomes in trade and multilateralism.