7 photos of William Ruto's grand reception in historic 5-day visit to China

President William Ruto touched down in Beijing this week to a grand and colourful welcome, marking the start of his five-day state visit to China. 

Ruto was received at Beijing International Airport by Chinese Transport Minister Liu Wei. He was accompanied by First Lady Rachel Ruto.

Ruto's visit is historic, not just because of the pomp, but because he is the first African head of state to visit Beijing since the U.S.-China trade war disrupted global commerce, adding a layer of diplomatic weight to his trip.

On Wednesday, President Ruto paid tribute to Chinese history by laying a wreath at the Monument to the People's Heroes in Tiananmen Square, honouring the martyrs of the 1949 revolution that led to the founding of the People’s Republic of China.

Later, at the iconic Great Hall of the People, Ruto held talks with Chinese Premier Li Qiang. The two leaders pledged to deepen trade and investment ties between Kenya and China, with a strong focus on mutual economic growth.

The President also took time to meet members of the Kenyan diaspora in China, where his comments about Kenya’s immediate neighbours drew reactions. 

“The difference between Kenya and our neighbours is that Kenya is in the Middle-Income category. Our neighbours, Tanzania, Uganda, and others, are in the least developed countries category,” he said. “We are categorised higher than them, so while they export duty-free, Kenya exports with duty.”

One of the most anticipated moments of Ruto’s visit was his bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The talks centred on unlocking new opportunities under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), with a strong emphasis on trade, infrastructure, and investment.

On Thursday, the two presidents witnessed the signing of 20 agreements spanning multiple sectors—from science and technology to vocational training, water resource management, e-commerce, intelligent transport systems, and railway development.

Kenya is also lobbying for Chinese financing to extend the Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) from Naivasha to the border with Uganda—a move that could transform regional trade logistics.

All this comes at a time when Kenya is grappling with a heavy public debt burden, and hopes are high that renewed cooperation with Beijing could ease the strain by unlocking new growth avenues.