China Targets Larger East Africa Market as Kenya, Somalia Expand Trade Ties
China is expanding its economic influence in East Africa by shifting from infrastructure loans to broader trade, manufacturing, and financial market integration. Recent data shows a significant increase in Kenyan imports from China, highlighting a growing trade deficit.
Why it matters
This shift reflects China's evolving economic strategy in Africa and the increasing financial interdependence between the two regions.
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TUKO.co.ke journalist Japhet Ruto has over eight years of experience in financial, business, and technology reporting, offering insights into Kenyan and global economic trends.
China is intensifying its commercial footprint across East Africa, moving well beyond infrastructure loans to target trade, manufacturing, technology, and financial markets, as data from Kenya and a recent business mission to Somalia illustrate the breadth of that ambition.
China is eyeing a larger share of the EAC market. Photos: China Square. Source: Facebook According to the 2026 Economic Survey by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, Kenya's imports from China reached KSh 671.2 billion in 2025, a 16.5% rise from KSh 576.1 billion the previous year.
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