China’s VP Han Zheng arrives in Kenya for 4-day state visit
By Mustafa Juma, March 22, 2026China’s Vice President Han Zheng has arrived in Kenya for a four-day state visit aimed at strengthening bilateral ties and expanding cooperation between the two countries.
Han Zheng was received at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) by Prime Cabinet Secretary and Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, alongside senior government officials and diplomats.
Taking to his official X account on Sunday, March 22, 2026, Mudavadi noted that China’s Ambassador to Kenya Guo Haiyan and Kenya’s Ambassador to China Willy Bett were also at the airport to receive Zheng.
Mudavadi said the visit highlights the “strong and enduring relations” between Kenya and China, as well as a shared commitment to advancing mutually beneficial cooperation.
“Welcomed to Kenya H.E. Han Zheng, Vice President of the People’s Republic of China, upon his arrival for a four-day State Visit. His visit underscores the strong and enduring relations between Kenya and China, and our shared commitment to advancing mutually beneficial cooperation,” Mudavadi stated.
High-level engagements
The visit is expected to feature a series of high-level engagements between Kenyan and Chinese officials, focusing on key sectors such as infrastructure, trade, investment, and economic development.
“The visit will feature a series of high-level engagements focused on strengthening collaboration in key sectors, expanding trade and investment, and deepening the Kenya–China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership,” Mudavadi stated.
Kenya and China have maintained close diplomatic and economic ties over the years, with Beijing playing a significant role in financing and constructing major infrastructure projects in the country.
His visit comes weeks after Kenya secured a major trade breakthrough with China after negotiations yielded a preliminary agreement granting Kenyan goods expansive duty-free access to the world’s second-largest economy.
In a statement released on Thursday, January 15, 2026, Investments, Trade, and Industry Cabinet Secretary Lee Kinyanjui announced that Kenya had successfully negotiated an “early harvest” trade framework with China that will allow 98.2 per cent of Kenyan exports to enter the Chinese market at zero duty.