Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday, April 24 officially welcomed President William Ruto to China.
The colorful welcoming ceremony included a 21-gun salute, full military honors, and a state banquet.
This visit marked Ruto’s third visit to China since taking office, following previous trips for the Third Belt and Road Forum in October 2023 and the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) in September 2024.
The state visit, which will take place from April 22 to 26, at Xi’s invitation, is aimed to deepen the Kenya-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established in 2017.
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Ruto has since secured 7 deals totaling Ksh107 billion ($823 million).
Under manufacturing, the government secured a Ksh19.5 billion deal from China Wu Yi company for manufacturing, processing, warehousing in Kajiado/Kilifi County and investment in Tatu Special economic zone, Konza Technopolis, near Jomo Kenyatta International Airport Machakos, Athi River, Kileleshwa Project Factory.
The government also secured Ksh2.6 billion from Chongqing Shengsheng Apparel Group company and Ksh6.5 billion from Beijing Shenzhou Zhonghe Education Technology company.
In the agriculture sector Kenya finalized a Ksh52 billon deal Zonken Group and a Ksh3.9 billion funding from Shandong Jiajiali Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Technology company.
The Ruto administration further secured a Ksh2.9 billion deal from Biltmore Manhattan Hotel Management company for a construction of a 5-star hotel in Nairobi.
"We endeavour to encourage even greater participation of China's private sector into our journey of economic transformation, which in turn, will create thousands of jobs for our youth.
"At the Kenya-China Investor Roundtable in Beijing, I witnessed the signing of seven deals by Chinese companies that intend to invest in Kenya with new projects. The investment deals span the manufacturing, agriculture, and tourism sectors," Ruto said in a statement.
