Ruto's China state visit and the trouble with Kenya's foreign policy

President William Ruto and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, on April 24, 2025. [File, Standard]

In May 2024, President William Ruto was accorded a highly privileged visit by the United States. His host then, President Joe Biden, accorded him a state visit, then the first for an African Head of State in 16 years.

The visit came with significant wins for Kenya, economically and geostrategically. The country was designated as a major non-North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) US ally, a first in sub-Saharan Africa. The visit was rightly viewed within the context of the increasing great power competition, especially pitting the USA and China.