Kenya’s trade with China is rarely far from the headlines. The latest is a widely reported claim that China could seize Kenya’s assets over debt.
This interest comes from increased trade between the two countries. In November 2018 President Uhuru Kenyatta said trade with China had grown “more than eighty-fold” between 2007 and 2017.
Kenyatta was speaking at the opening of the first China International Import Expo in Shanghai.
“China now ranks as the number one trading partner with Kenya, accounting for 17.2% of Kenya’s total trade with the world,” Kenyatta said.
Does Kenya do most of its international trade with China?
Kenya’s trade figures
Official statistics bear Kenyatta out. The 2018 Economic Survey gives the most recent value of Kenya’s exports and imports.
| Kenya trade with main partners in 2017 (billions US$) | ||||
| Area | Exports | Imports | Total | Share of Kenya’s trade with world |
| World | 5.8 | 16.98 | 22.8 | |
| Africa | 2.2 | 1.97 | 4.2 | 18.3% |
| China | 0.01 | 3.8 | 3.9 | 17.3% |
| EU | 1.2 | 2.0 | 3.3 | 14.3% |
| US | 0.5 | 0.6 | 1.03 | 4.5% |
Source: Kenya National Bureau of Statistics
*The views of the above article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Africa Speaks 4 Africa or its editorial team.