Rwanda-China relations: 55 years of friendship and shared progress

Today, we reflect on the 55-year journey undertaken by Rwanda and China. The Republic of Rwanda and the People's Republic of China established formal diplomatic relations on November 12, 1971, laying the foundation of a friendship that has continued to deepen and expand. On November 12, 2026, the two countries commemorated the 55th anniversary of this milestone, a testament to the enduring ties between our two countries and our shared commitment to cooperation and mutual development.

Political dialogue and high-level exchanges have provided strategic direction, while bilateral agreements have facilitated cooperation in infrastructure, agriculture, industry, trade, health, education, technology, culture and people-to-people exchanges. These engagements have created opportunities for mutual development, strengthened ties between the two countries and established a solid foundation for further deepening bilateral cooperation and friendship between our peoples.

In July 2018, Chinese President Xi Jinping made a historic state visit to Rwanda, becoming the first Chinese head of state to visit the country. During the visit, Rwanda and China signed 15 bilateral cooperation agreements covering a broad range of areas. The visit marked an important new phase in the relationship and reaffirmed both countries' commitment to strengthening their partnership.

Later that year, Rwandan President Paul Kagame visited China and met with his Chinese counterpart in Beijing, also participating in the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Summit. The meeting further consolidated the relationship and provided a broader platform for high-level exchanges of government and party officials from both countries

In September 2024, during the FOCAC Summit in Beijing, President Paul Kagame and President Xi Jinping announced the elevation of Rwanda-China relations from a strategic partnership to a comprehensive strategic partnership. This milestone reflected the growing depth and maturity of bilateral ties, while establishing a stronger framework for advancing cooperation across strategic areas of mutual interest and opening new opportunities for a more ambitious and forward-looking partnership.

Today, cooperation is reflected in projects that have been completed as well as those currently underway. Over the years, particularly in the past three decades, China has become an important development, investment and trade partner for Rwanda. Chinese companies continue to invest in Rwanda, contributing to its development priorities while benefiting from Rwanda's strategic position as a gateway to the East African Community and the wider African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) market. This provides opportunities for Chinese businesses to expand their presence and reach consumers across the region and the continent. At the same time, Rwandan businesses are gaining greater access to the Chinese market, supplying specialty agricultural products such as high-quality chili, tea and coffee. These growing exchanges demonstrate the mutual benefits of the partnership and its potential to create opportunities for businesses and communities in both countries.

Trade promotion remains an important pillar of the relationship. Rwandan companies continue to explore opportunities in the Chinese market through participation in major trade platforms and exhibitions, including the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo (CAETE) and the China International Import Expo (CIIE). These platforms enable businesses to showcase Rwandan products, engage potential buyers, identify partners and gain a better understanding of market requirements. Rwanda's strategic location, together with its integration into regional and continental markets, also positions the country as a gateway for trade and investment across Africa.

Rwanda's development ambitions provide an important framework for the next phase of this cooperation. Through the National Strategy for Transformation 2 (NST2), covering 2024-2029, Rwanda is pursuing its goal of becoming an upper-middle-income country by 2035 and a high-income country by 2050, in line with Vision 2050. China's cooperation through platforms such as FOCAC and the Belt and Road Initiative continues to provide avenues for advancing shared priorities. There is further scope to deepen collaboration in areas that support industrialization, infrastructure development, innovation, skills development and economic transformation.

Rwanda, on the other hand, looks forward to strengthening cooperation and learning from China's experience to advance its digital transformation and technological capacity. Technology is a key driver of Rwanda's development agenda, particularly in digital transformation, innovation and artificial intelligence (AI). As co-chair of the UN Global Commission on AI, Rwanda is committed to harnessing emerging technologies for sustainable development. China, with its extensive experience in technological innovation and AI, remains an important partner.

Beyond bilateral engagement, Rwanda and China continue to work together on multilateral issues, including international peace and security, trade and climate change. Rwanda recognizes the importance of dialogue and international cooperation in addressing shared global challenges. In this context, the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI) and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI) provide additional platforms for discussion and cooperation on issues of common concern.

While global trade faces uncertainty and protectionist pressures, China-Africa cooperation highlights the importance of open markets and mutually beneficial partnerships. Rwanda welcomes China's zero-tariff policy for African products as an opportunity to expand exports to the Chinese market. By reducing trade barriers, the policy can enhance the competitiveness of African products, widen market access, encourage value addition and stimulate investment. For Rwanda, this presents an opportunity to diversify exports, strengthen local producers and build stronger partnerships with Chinese buyers. Rwanda is committed to working with its public and private sector partners to maximize these benefits while ensuring product quality and compliance with market standards.

As Rwanda advances its Vision 2050 and China works towards its 2049 centenary goals, the two countries have a strong basis for looking ahead together. The next chapter of our relationship should build on the trust established over the past 55 years and translate it into more trade, investment, innovation, knowledge exchange and closer people-to-people ties. Our shared ambition is not simply to expand cooperation, but to ensure that it contributes meaningfully to prosperity, resilience and a better quality of life for the people of both countries.