Kenyan officials laud China's zero-tariff policy, eye more cooperation at CIIE

This photo, taken on Nov. 5, 2026, shows the Kenyan pavilion at the ninth China International Import Expo in east China's Shanghai. (People's Daily Online/Kwizela Aristide Basebya)

Kenyan business leaders have lauded China's zero-tariff policy for African countries, citing significant growth in exports to the Chinese market and calling for deeper commercial partnerships as they participate in the ninth China International Import Expo (CIIE) in east China's Shanghai.

Leading a delegation of nearly 40 Kenyan businesspeople and exporters, Eric Rutto, president of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI), described the expo as an important platform for connecting Kenyan businesses with China's vast consumer market.

"China is a huge market," Rutto said in an interview with People's Daily Online on Nov. 5 inside the Kenyan pavilion. "It is a market that our members would like to explore. It is a magic market for African products."

He highlighted the chamber's growing institutional presence in China, saying that KNCCI had, for the first time in its 60-year history, established a permanent representative office in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province. According to him, the office is intended to facilitate business connections, promote Kenyan products and support exports to China.

Speaking of China's zero-tariff treatment for 53 African countries, which took effect on May 1, 2026, Rutto said it is already creating encouraging opportunities for exporters.

Dennis Mwirigi Murithi (R), chairman of the Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency, communicates with customers inside the Kenyan pavilion at the ninth China International Import Expo in east China's Shanghai, Nov. 5, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Kwizela Aristide Basebya)

He said preliminary trade data available to the chamber indicated an estimated 8 to 10 percent increase in trade volumes, although he pointed out that a longer assessment period would be necessary to establish the policy's full impact.

He cited Kenya's flower industry as an example of the benefits, noting that Kenyan roses previously attracted a 4 percent import tariff in China.

"Removing that 4 percent tariff effectively improves the margin that exporters can earn," he said. "It also makes us more competitive against other Asian countries that are geographically closer to China."

The positive outlook was also echoed by Dennis Mwirigi Murithi, chairman of the Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency, who reported that coffee and avocados as the strongest-performing export categories, with coffee exports increasing by 241 percent and avocado exports by 86 percent.

Despite the impressive growth, Murithi said Kenya must address uneven export performance and better understand Chinese consumer preferences.

Dennis Mwirigi Murithi (L), chairman of the Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency, communicates with a customer inside the Kenyan pavilion at the ninth China International Import Expo in east China's Shanghai, Nov. 5, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Kwizela Aristide Basebya)

He said the Kenyan delegation was using this year's CIIE to engage Chinese buyers, study market demand and identify opportunities for improving the competitiveness of Kenyan products.

Beyond agriculture, Murithi said Kenya is also exploring opportunities in textiles and manufacturing, with the aim of diversifying its exports and expanding its industrial presence in the Chinese market.

"We want to understand whether our textile and manufacturing industries also have opportunities in this market," Murithi said.

Murithi emphasized that stronger commercial relationships could generate benefits and growth extending beyond trade figures.

"Building stronger relationships can create a platform for even more growth in the future," he said. "These relationships can lead to business expansion, and expansion means job creation back home and an increase in our GDP."

The ninth CIIE runs from Nov. 5 to 10, 2026, in east China's Shanghai.

Eric Rutto, president of the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI), poses for a photo inside the Kenyan pavilion at the ninth China International Import Expo in east China's Shanghai, Nov. 5, 2026. (People's Daily Online/Kwizela Aristide Basebya)