Spirit of Ruto's China trip amid Trump tariffs and need for caution

President William Ruto and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping acknowledge greetings from school children at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on April 24, 2025. [PCS]

President William Ruto’s state visit to China in the background of a raging trade war between the Asian giant and the US is a bold statement that puts to test Kenya’s non-alignment foreign policy against its economic interests.

Political analysts think the invitation is strategic because Beijing appears to be capitalising on the damage expected from President Donald Trump’s sweeping trade tariffs against many countries, including Kenya.