Kenya’s diplomatic balancing act between global powers has come under scrutiny in Washington following President William Ruto’s recent visit to China. During his April 2025 trip to Beijing, Ruto described Kenya and China as “co-architects of a new world order,” a comment that has raised concerns among U.S. lawmakers who view growing Sino-African ties with suspicion.
U.S. Senator Jim Risch, the ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, expressed concern that Ruto’s remarks signal not just cooperation but allegiance to China. He questioned whether the U.S. should continue prioritizing relationships with African nations like Kenya, which he claims are forming “troubling” ties with Beijing.
Ruto’s comments came just months after a high-profile May 2024 visit to Washington, during which Kenya was designated a major non-NATO ally a rare status that grants access to advanced military technology and training. Kenya has been a key U.S. partner in counterterrorism operations in East Africa, particularly against al-Shabaab in neighboring Somalia.
However, Ruto’s embrace of China, amid its significant investment in Kenyan infrastructure and trade, appears to complicate the U.S.-Kenya alliance. Senator Risch criticized the U.S. for “relying on leaders who embrace Beijing so openly,” urging a reassessment of such partnerships.
Despite the backlash, President Ruto has maintained Kenya’s foreign policy is guided by pragmatism rather than alignment. “We are not facing East or West—we are facing forward,” he stated, emphasizing Kenya’s aim to act as a neutral bridge amid rising global geopolitical tensions.
China is Kenya’s largest trading partner and its biggest source of imports, while Kenya ranks as China’s top trading partner in East Africa. The economic ties are deeply entrenched, with Chinese loans and investments funding major projects like highways, railways, and ports.
As the U.S. evaluates its African strategy, Risch called for a pivot from leader-focused diplomacy to building institutional capacity, strengthening private sector links, and empowering Africa’s youth. Whether Washington heeds that advice or doubles down on its traditional approach remains to be seen in a shifting geopolitical landscape.
