The Kenyan government has reached a preliminary trade agreement with China that will grant Kenyan goods zero-duty access on 98.2 per cent of tariff lines, marking a significant shift in the country’s bilateral trade relations with its largest Asian trading partner.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Ministry of Investments, Trade and Industry said the agreement follows sustained bilateral engagements aimed at addressing persistent trade imbalances and expanding Kenya’s export footprint globally.
The move comes against the backdrop of China’s recently announced duty-free and quota-free market access for African exports, a policy that primarily favours Least Developed Countries. As a developing economy, Kenya has not been eligible for the full benefits of the scheme, placing it at a comparative disadvantage to some of its regional peers.
To bridge this gap, Kenya initiated negotiations with Beijing to secure a bilateral arrangement aligned with the preferential access enjoyed by other East African Community members and select African countries. These talks have now yielded what the ministry describes as an “early harvest” framework, allowing for near-total duty-free entry of Kenyan products into the Chinese market.
Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry Lee Kinyanjui said the agreement represents a major step forward in deepening trade ties between the two countries and signals China’s willingness to strengthen economic cooperation with Kenya.
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The zero-duty access is expected to unlock new opportunities for Kenyan exporters, particularly in agriculture, which remains the backbone of the country’s economy. Officials say the expanded market access will support export diversification, stimulate production, and create employment across value chains.
Beyond agriculture, the deal is likely to enhance Kenya’s competitiveness in global trade by improving price positioning for its goods in one of the world’s largest consumer markets.
The government said it remains focused on pursuing trade partnerships that bolster Kenya’s export capacity and deliver tangible economic benefits. Further engagements are expected as the two sides work towards formalising the agreement and operationalising the preferential access framework.
