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Government dismisses claims of stalling the China trade deal to please the US, asserting that the "Early Harvest" agreement is on track alongside the renewed AGOA partnership.
The Kenyan government has moved swiftly to dispel rumors that it is freezing a major trade agreement with China to appease Washington. Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei termed reports of a diplomatic standoff as "completely unfounded," insisting that Nairobi is pursuing a "multi-vector" trade strategy that accommodates both East and West.
Speculation had been rife that President Ruto’s administration put the "Early Harvest" deal with Beijing on ice to secure the renewal of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) from the United States. The AGOA pact, a lifeline for Kenya’s textile industry, was extended by the US House of Representatives this week, fueling theories of a quid pro quo.
PS Sing’Oei clarified that negotiations with China were effectively concluded on December 19, 2025. The deal, designed to eliminate tariffs on Kenyan avocados, tea, and coffee entering the massive Chinese market, is now in the technical ratification stage. "We have exchanged tariff schedules and rules of origin. There is no delay; there is only due process," he stated.
The denial highlights Kenya’s delicate balancing act. As a "non-NATO ally" of the US and a key Belt and Road partner for China, Nairobi is walking a geopolitical tightrope. The US has openly expressed concern about China’s growing influence in Africa’s digital and infrastructure sectors, but Kenya maintains it needs both partners to thrive.
"We do not trade with one partner at the exclusion of another," Sing’Oei emphasized. This assertive neutrality is the hallmark of Ruto’s foreign policy. By locking in the AGOA extension while finalizing the China pact, Kenya attempts to eat its cake and have it too—leveraging its strategic importance to extract maximum value from both superpowers.
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