Kenya Wins Near-Zero Tariff Access for Exports to China

By Correspondent

Nairobi — Kenya has secured a preliminary trade deal with China that will allow 98.2 percent of Kenyan exports to enter the Chinese market duty-free, a move expected to boost exports and ease the country's trade deficit.

The arrangement, reached under an "early harvest" framework, follows negotiations aimed at aligning Kenya's market access with that of other African countries that already enjoy duty-free and quota-free access to China.

Government officials said the deal is particularly significant for agriculture, which is expected to be the biggest beneficiary, alongside manufactured and value-added products.

"This early harvest framework demonstrates China's commitment to strengthening trade relations with Kenya," said Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry Lee Kinyanjui.

"Zero-duty access will create new opportunities for Kenyan exporters and support diversification of our export basket, especially in agriculture, which remains the backbone of our economy," he added.

Kenya has been seeking to reduce a long-standing trade imbalance with China while expanding access for locally produced goods in major global markets.

Officials said the agreement forms part of a broader strategy to position Kenya as a competitive export hub and deepen economic ties with key trading partners.

The government noted that further technical engagements will be held to operationalise the deal and prepare Kenyan producers to fully benefit from the expanded market access.

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