On Wednesday, Kenya’s President William Ruto condemned the United States’ unilateral imposition of tariffs on international trade, addressing an audience in China to denounce what he described as a flawed economic framework from the post-Cold War era.
During the second day of his four-day state visit to China, the President addressed an audience at Peking University in Beijing, a prestigious public institution established in 1898 and renowned as one of the country’s oldest academic institutions.
He mentioned that despite the world advancing through globalization and technological progress, many world leaders remain entrenched in outdated wartime mindsets. “We convene during a period marked by significant and rapid global transformation. We confront issues ranging from local conflicts, economic instabilities, and climate disruptions, to cybersecurity threats and shifting demographics. These challenges are intricate, interrelated, and pressing,” he stated before an assembly which comprised prominent Chinese governmental figures.
Regarding the trade tariffs that President Donald Trump introduced on nearly all countries around the globe in March, supposedly to shield American goods, he cautioned that this intensifying battle over tariffs might deliver a fatal strike to the worldwide multilateral framework. “The multilateral system established after World War II is now damaged, ineffective, and unsuitable… These increasing disputes over import duties may mark the conclusion of the previous international structure as we have known it since 1945. This economic and security setup, which emerged from the ruins following that war, has predominantly favored the Northern Hemisphere at the cost of the Southern Hemisphere, leaving others behind,” he stated.
In this trade conflict, China has been highly involved, with tariffs on products reaching up to 225% for the U.S. and 145% for China.
Read: Why China might have a winning hand in trade war with USThe US also imposed a flat rate 10 percent tariff on other countries like Kenya, which could equally hurt exports to America that enjoy duty-free and quota-free access under the African Growth Opportunity Act (Agoa).
Seeking favor through tariffs was likely an appealing topic for the Chinese audience, providing President Ruto with a prime chance during his public lecture at Peking University to win over his hosts. Although he has visited Beijing twice in the last couple of years as part of routine diplomatic missions, this marks his inaugural state visit to China.
China rejoices as former favorite Ruto pays a visit But this occurred just a year following his previous journey to the US during Joe Biden’s tenure. During his time in Washington D.C., he mentioned establishing connections meant to be advantageous for both Kenyans and people across Africa.
In Beijing, he mentioned that China was supporting numerous African nations like Kenya, which might have found it impossible to progress economically or technologically without affordable alternatives provided by China. “Many of these advancements would still be out of reach for most parts of the developing world without China,” he stated, pointing specifically at solar energy and similar everyday-use technologies available in Kenya.
He also criticized certain critics known as ‘cold war warriors.’ There were further criticisms aimed at Western powers. Although Ruto didn’t mention specific names, he argued that globalization faced setbacks due to systems created by the West with an aim to maintain their supremacy.
“The Security Council, previously a symbol of harmony and negotiation, currently sees one permanent member involved in invasions within sovereign states, while another supports conflicts contrary to the council’s established policies. However, despite this decline in legitimacy and increasing questioning about its importance, the current permanent members—Russia, the U.S., France, the UK, and China—are turning a blind eye and opposing reforms,” he explained, addressing how these issues impact the credibility of the Security Council.
Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, while the US has blocked Africa’s bid to gain veto power on the council. Of the 15-member council, which is supposed to oversee global peace and security, only the five permanent members have veto power because they had won the World War II, had the largest population at the end of the war or had biggest economy at the time.“Seemingly, there appears to be Cold War warriors that are unable to see a world that is not ideologically polarised and are determined to reinvent a polarised world by other means,” the Kenyan leader said.
It was an excursion labeled “a stroll through history” by the Chinese, highlighting the long-standing relationship between Kenya and China. However, similar to any diplomatic interaction, the backdrop of global political strains was unmistakably present.
Nevertheless, President Ruto might still choose to lash out and nurse his injuries.
During a previous engagement, he informed the Chinese entrepreneurs that the AGOA legislation, which grants Kenya preferential entry into U.S. markets, might be beneficial for them if they established operations in Kenya.
Read: Ruto dangles tax breaks, Agoa to Chinese investors“Kenya is open for business. We have every reason for you to invest in our country, and I welcome you to come so that we can build, we can grow and witness the making of Africa’s next great success story, and we will do this together,” he told an audience in Beijing.
Agoa has assisted Kenyan manufacturers in textiles as well as local apparel-producing foreign investors with exporting their products to the U.S. under preferential terms. However, this favorable situation may be heading towards an uncertain future following President Trump’s imposition of a uniform 10 percent tariff on several nations benefiting from Agoa, such as Kenya. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc.
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