Kenya's trade lobby opens office in China to spur Sino-Kenyan trade ties

NAIROBI, Oct. 11 (Xinhua) -- The Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KNCCI), Kenya's trade lobby, announced on Wednesday that it has put into operation its office in Changsha, the capital of China's central province of Hunan, amid growing Sino-Kenyan trade ties.

The office will enable the country's companies and products to enter the vast Chinese market, said KNCCI President Erick Rutto in Nairobi, the capital of Kenya, at a press conference. "The office will play a critical role in facilitating trade and investment, attracting more investment, promoting visibility and awareness of Kenyan products," Rutto said.

According to the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kenya's total exports to China hit about 270 million U.S. dollars in 2022.

Rutto said the KNCCI has a database of approximately 600 exporters who will benefit from capacity building and visits to modern factories that will be facilitated by the office in China.

Zhang Yijun, the minister counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Kenya, said during the conference that China is a huge market and welcomes people from all over the world, including Kenya, to come to China to sell qualified goods. Zhang added that the KNCCI office in China will play an increasingly important role as a valuable platform that links China-Kenya economic and trade ties.

Fredrick Mukilya, the chief representative of KNCCI in China, said his office in the Asian nation will be tasked with collecting market data about the demand for Kenyan products in China. Mukilya observed that Kenya's exports to China are below their potential, despite the long and cordial relationships between the two countries.

He said the trade lobby will spearhead efforts to increase the basket of Kenyan goods and services that are sold to Chinese consumers. "We also establish linkages between Kenya and Chinese tour operators so that more Chinese tourists can visit Kenya," he added.

In the past two years, Kenya has expanded its exports of Hass avocados to China, while in June, the first batch of anchovies sourced from the coastal region was shipped to the Asian country.

Salat Ali, the CEO of Go Shipping Cargo, said the new KNCCI office in China will boost Kenya's exports to China by showcasing Kenyan goods to Chinese consumers. Ali, who helps consolidate Kenya's merchandise exports into large volumes, revealed that the new office will help the country's goods meet the standards required to access the Chinese market.

Caroline Njoki, the CEO of Naskia Ventures, which has been exporting leather products to the Chinese market, added that the China-based office will help spur demand for Kenyan goods in China. Njoki noted that the office will provide Kenyan manufacturers with the latest trends in goods, designs and fashions that will find a market in China.

Tito Mutai, the CEO of Agri Africa Expo, said the KNCCI office in China will help boost Sino-Kenyan trade by conducting preliminary due diligence on Chinese companies that want to venture into Kenya so that they offer solutions that meet the needs of local consumers.