America unfazed with Chinese influence as Ruto meets Jinping

The United States (US) administration is unfazed by African countries looking East following the announcement of tariffs on imports, even as President William Ruto embarks on a four-day State visit to China at the invitation of President Xi Jinping.

The two leaders also had a meeting in September 2024 during the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (Focac).

However, it is this latest invitation that comes on the backdrop of tariffs imposed by the United States early in the month across 180 countries, with China bearing the brunt of the import charges, that raises eyebrows on where Kenya stands.

The spat between the US and China has become a global trade war that seems to have put Kenya in a tight spot on which ally to rely to for its development financing needs.

In the wake of the tariff that saw Kenyan products slapped with a 10 per cent extra charge amidst an active duty-free agreement through African Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), President Ruto subtly responded saying he will purpose to align with allies who will guarantee Kenya a win-win kind of relationship.

“Even as other mechanisms are being rolled out by others to do what they think works best for them, we also must think about what works best for us. And we can then have a conversation of equals,” he said during the World Chamber Forum African Summit held in Nairobi.

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“We are keen on working with institutions, like the business institutions here, for us to be able to have a greater understanding, and work together towards a win-win outcome,” he added.

President Donald Trump’s advisor on African matters Massad Boulos, who met with President Ruto early in the month, and Deputy Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Corina Sanders were not willing to discuss China’s influence on Africa during a recent press briefing.

When asked on China’s influence, Ms Sanders emphasized on President Trump’s America First policy that informed the recent tariffs explaining how it is good for the global economy.

“I don’t want to get into any details about China’s role in Africa.  But what I want to tell you is really important, and that America First promotes investment and enhances industrial and technology advantages, which I believe will serve the African continent well,” she said.

She said America First defended not only the country’s economic interests but also national security interests. It is meant to support workers, manufacturers, farmers, ranchers, entrepreneurs and businesses.

Ms Sanders said that President Trump Administration’s America First trade policy benefits all Americans arguing that America is, and the rest of the world, is safer when other nations invest in the land of possibilities.

“And President Trump is also focused on creating jobs, raising wages, bringing manufacturing back to the United States, and he’s been very clear that if trading partners align with our effort to achieve fairness and balance on our trading relationships and protect U.S. economic and national security, we’re going to absolutely welcome that cooperation,” she said.

However, while China is the main target of the America First policy, other nations, including Kenya, have become victims as neither of the two markets is willing to relent.

Kenyan exports to the US were slapped with a 10 per cent tariff, which players back home have argued will affect not only profits but also the security of jobs.

Textiles and apparel make up a majority of Kenyan products destined for the US. Kenya exports about Sh72 billion of exports annually to the US. 

The spat between the two countries has seen retaliatory tariffs, with the US slapping China with 245 per cent in taxes. China, seen as the factory of the world, is the source of a majority of manufactured goods and raw materials such as steel.

While the tariffs announced early in the month have been paused for 90 days, the meeting between President Xi Jinping and Dr Ruto looks like a strategy for a possible way forward.

The latest World Trade Organisation (WTO) report on the 2025 outlook has listed the tariff behind the reduced forecast figures. “If enacted, reciprocal tariffs would reduce world merchandise trade growth by an additional 0.6 percentage points, posing particular risks for developing countries, while a spreading of trade policy uncertainty would shave off a further 0.8 percentage points. Taken together, the reciprocal tariffs and spreading TPU would lead to a 1.5 per cent decline in world merchandise trade volume in 2025,” says the Global Trade Outlook and Statistics published in April 2025.

But the plan by President Trump, at least according to Mr Boulos, his advisor, is not to muzzle the growth of other economies.

He noted during the online press briefing that the US administration is committed to encourage American businesses to set up in markets such as Kenya.

“As you know, this – our initiative and the discussions we’ve been having with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and with other countries in the region as well – we’ve had similar discussions with Rwanda and Uganda and Kenya and others – this is driven by the private sector,” he said. “Our job and our role here is to encourage private sector U.S. investments in these countries.”

President Ruto, while addressing the World Chamber Forum Africa Summit, said the continent has enormous potential and can leverage the African Continental Free Trade Area (Afcfta), which is a 1.5 billion market, to grow trade.

“The continent of the past, where Africa was a source of raw materials, is going to change. Africa will be looking for partners who will work with us to unlock the potential for value addition, local jobs and wealth. It is the future we are looking at as a continent,” he said.