Kenya is intensifying efforts to expand its presence in China's vast consumer market, with exporters seeking to significantly increase shipments of avocados, coffee, tea and other agricultural products following Beijing's introduction of zero-tariff access for goods from African countries with which it has diplomatic relations.
The East African nation is also looking to leverage the 9th China International Import Expo, or CIIE, set for Nov 5-10 in Shanghai, as a platform to unlock new business opportunities, attract investment and strengthen trade ties with the world's second-largest economy.
Speaking in Nairobi ahead of the expo, Lucy Muchoki, director of programs and partnerships at the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, or KNCCI, said Kenya is determined to maximize the benefits of the zero-tariff policy that came into effect on May 1.
"China has already granted Kenya and the rest of Africa tariff-free access and we are working very hard to ensure our businesses seize this opportunity," Muchoki, who represented KNCCI President Erick Rutto, said.
"Kenya is among the leading exporters of horticultural products to Europe, and with duty-free access to China, we are looking forward to exporting more to China's 1.4-billion-strong consumer market," she added.
