President William Ruto received by dignitaries at the Beijing Airport, China on April 22, 2025/PCS
The plane carrying the head of state touched down at Beijing Danxing International Airport 8pm local time(3 pm Kenyan time)
President Ruto was received by China’s Transport Minister Liu Wei.
Ruto, who is accompanied by First Lady Mama Rachel among other senior government officials, was received also received by other top Chinese leaders, including Kenya’s ambassador to China, Willy Bett.
President William Ruto received at the Beijing Airport, China on April 22, 2025/PCS
Also present to receive him was Prime Cabinet Secretary and Cabinet Secretary for Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Musalia Mudavadi, and other cabinet secretaries who are already in the country.
This historic visit marks the first by an African leader since the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), underscoring Kenya’s strategic partnership with China.
Talks between President Ruto and his host will centre around China’s investment in Kenya’s critical infrastructural projects, strengthening of the Global South cooperation, regional peace and security, among other issues of global concern.
China has played a crucial role in delivering some of Kenya’s signature infrastructure projects, among them the Standard Gauge Railway, Nairobi Expressway, Lamu Port, and the Kipevu Oil Terminal.
Mama Rachel Ruto receives a bouquet of flowers from the children when she touched down at the Beijing Airport, China on April 22, 2025/PCS
It is the third time he has visited the country since he took power.
Ruto’s visit coincided with the arrival of his Azerbaijani counterpart, President Ilham Aliyev, who is also on a state visit to the East Asian country.
China and Azerbaijan are strategic partners.
During the visit, President Xi Jinping will hold separate talks with the two visiting leaders and a state banquet.
President Aliyev will draw a new blueprint for the growth of bilateral relations between the two nations.
Premier Li Qiang and Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee Zhao Leji will meet with the two leaders separately to have in-depth exchanges of views on cooperation in various areas.
President William Ruto received by dignitaries at the Beijing Airport, China on April 22, 2025/PCS
The meeting will bring together more than 100 companies from both countries to explore new opportunities in trade, investment, digital innovation, and industrial growth.
Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’oei said in an interview Monday that the President will hold bilateral talks with President Jinping to advance shared priorities in economic transformation, sustainable development, and global cooperation.
He also clarified that Ruto’s visit is not merely transactional but to deepen its relations.
“It is about developing an understanding of where we are and where we want to be as two friendly nations,” he said.