On March 24, 2026, Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao and Cabinet Secretary for Investments, Trade and Industry of Kenya Lee Kinyanjui jointly signed the Early Harvest Arrangement of the Agreement on Economic Partnership for Shared Development (hereinafter referred to as the “Early Harvest Arrangement”) between the Government of the People’s Republic of China and the Government of the Republic of Kenya.

The signing of this Early Harvest Arrangement is a significant outcome in implementing zero-tariff measures announced by President Xi Jinping. It represents China’s concrete steps in expanding voluntary opening up, and an important initiative to implement the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) and to serve the development of a China-Kenya community with a shared future for the new era. This ushers in a new chapter in China-Kenya cooperation.

Kenya is the second African country, following the Republic of the Congo, to sign an Early Harvest Arrangement with China. Under this arrangement, China will implement zero-tariff treatment on 100 percent of tariff lines for Kenya, and Kenya will further open its market to Chinese products. Moving forward, China will continue to advance negotiations with more African countries on Agreements on Economic Partnership for Shared Development, fully implement zero-tariff treatment on 100 percent of tariff lines for all African countries that have diplomatic relations with China, and provide long-term, stable, and predictable institutional support for China-Africa trade and investment cooperation. (Released on March 25)