China says Africa trade passed US$310bn in 9 months; Kenya's 2025 deficit with China was KSh654.3bn

China's Foreign Ministry said on 6 November 2026 that China–Africa trade passed US$310 billion in the first nine months of the year, up 22% year on year. Spokesperson Guo Jiakun gave the figure at the ministry's regular press conference, replying to a Xinhua reporter who cited a Forbes article comparing US and Chinese policy towards Africa.

Guo said China has applied zero tariffs in full since 1 May to the 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic relations, making it easier for African farm produce and light manufactured goods to enter the Chinese market. He named avocados, coffee beans, pecans and shea butter among the products reaching Chinese households.

In the Chinese transcript, Guo also said that whatever happens internationally, China remains "the most trusted and most dependable partner" of African countries (translated from the Chinese). The reporter's question had cited an Afrobarometer poll in which 62% of Africans rated China's influence positively.

The US$310 billion is the total for China's trade with the continent. Xinhua reported on 1 November that the nine-month total was US$312.11 billion, also up 22%. It quoted Liu Yu, director of the West Asia and Africa Department at China's Ministry of Commerce, as saying Africa supplies 70% of China's sesame imports and 40% of its coffee imports.

Between May and September, the import value of African avocados rose 82% year on year, that of frozen strawberries 113%, and that of peanuts 4.4 times.

Kenya is among the countries covered. The Kenya–China Early Harvest Agreement means about 98.2% of Kenyan exports to China stand to benefit from zero-tariff access that took effect on 1 May, The Star reported on 2 May. Exporters must register with Kenyan authorities and with China's General Administration of Customs, hold KEPHIS phytosanitary certification for plant and farm products, and print labels in Chinese. Investments, Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui said: "This marks a decisive new chapter for Kenya's export growth."

The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) figures for 2025, the last full year before the tariff cut, show the imbalance. Business Daily reported on 3 May 2026 that Kenya's exports to China fell 35.7% to KSh16.9 billion in 2025 from KSh26.3 billion in 2024, the lowest in five years. Imports from China rose 16.5% to KSh671.2 billion from KSh576.1 billion.

That widened the deficit by 19.0% to a record KSh654.3 billion from KSh549.8 billion. China supplied 24.2% of Kenya's total imports of KSh2.77 trillion in 2025, more than any other country.

The Economic Survey 2026, which Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi released on 29 April, listed China among the key markets behind a fall in Kenya's exports to Asia and the Far East. KNBS attributed the slump in sales to China largely to lower shipments of titanium ores and concentrates and of macadamia nuts.

Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Guo Haiyan said at a reception on 30 September that Kenya's avocado oil exports to China had risen 700% and coffee exports had nearly doubled, Citizen Digital reported on 1 October. She said exports of aquatic products, including sea cucumbers, were up 350% by the end of August.

Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, who is also Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary, said, as quoted by Citizen Digital: "Kenya's exports to China are growing, particularly coffee, avocadoes and tea."