Last month, Kenya and China signed a preliminary bilateral trade agreement that will grant 98.2% zero-duty market access for goods exported from Kenya. The development follows efforts by the East African nation to expand its export basket and reduce trade imbalances with Asian trading partners.

It’s part of a broader landmark move: last June, China announced the elimination of tariffs on nearly all imports – covering roughly 98-100% of tariff lines – from 53 African countries that maintain diplomatic relations with Beijing.

Kenya’s trade and investments minister, Lee Kinyanjui, told RT that the agreement “opens the Chinese market to a broad range of Kenyan products at zero duty, with particular emphasis on agricultural exports, which remain the backbone of the domestic economy”.

According to Kinyanjui, the proposed zero-duty access is expected to unlock new opportunities for Kenyan exporters, particularly in agriculture, agro-processing, and value-added goods.

Kinyanjui says the trade agreement is “a corrective measure that could gradually narrow the trade gap with Asia”.

In 2024, according to the United Nations COMTRADE database, Kenya’s total exports to China were valued at $196.55 million, compared to China’s exports to Kenya of $8.58 billion.

The Early Harvest phase prioritizes Kenyan agricultural exports, notably avocados, tea, coffee, and macadamia nuts – sectors Kinyanjui says have strong growth potential in China’s consumer........

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