We go the China Way: China Open it’s Market to Kenya in New Deal

After complaints from sections of Kenyans and political leaders on Chinese dominance in the country, the country’s head of State, President Uhuru Kenyatta finally has some good news for us.

The President today met with the President of China H.E. Xi Jinping in Shanghai, China. Their talks  focused on promoting economic trade exchange and cooperation between Kenya and China ahead of the inaugural China International Import Expo (CIIE)

Kenya and China plan to establish a working group on trade tarriffs in a bid to promote trade between the two states.

President Uhuru Kenyatta has said that access to the Chinese market will have a positive impact on the lives of common people and that  this will help counter any negative propaganda peddled by detractors of the strong relationship Kenya enjoy’s with China.

There were fears that Kenya and China’s relations would be greatly jeopardized by Kenya’s decision to burn the import and constant sale of Chinese fish into the Kenyan market.

Acting Chinese ambassador to Kenya Li Xuhang described the ban on Chinese fish as a “trade war”, warning that his country could react in the same way it did to US President Donald Trump’s imposition of tariffs on Chinese goods.

Imposition of the ban on Chinese fish followed President Kenyatta’s remarks recently when he publicly wondered why imported fish should be flooding the Kenyan market at the expense of local produce. He challenged officials to find ways to curb the influx.

The Chinese allegedly threatened to withhold funding for Phase 2 of the SGR Project meaning that the Naivasha-Kisumu phase of the SGR would be vastly affected.

The President’s latest visit to China gives an array of hope to Kenyans as part of the agreement reached between the Chinese government and the Kenyan government is that the Chinese market will open up to over 40 per cent of the country’s fresh produce including avocadoes, cashew nuts, and mangoes.

President Kenyatta has thanked President Xi for initiating the process of opening up the Chinese markets to Kenyan exports.

“I wish to express our appreciation to President Xi for initiating the process of opening up the Chinese markets to our exports, and for ensuring that is a key facet of this mutually beneficial economic model,” said President Kenyatta.

Do you think Kenya will massively benefit from this new trade pact?

 

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