China hits US over cold-war tactics on aid to Kenya and trade threats

China has issued a strong rebuke to the US following threats by a Republican senator to review Washington’s ties with Nairobi and the major non-Nato ally (MNNA) status over its deepening economic and political ties with Beijing. 

Chinese ambassador to Kenya Guo Haiyan, speaking in Nairobi at an exhibition commemorating the 80th anniversary of the victory of the Chinese People’s War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War, said in a statement that the US “cold-war mentality and hegemonic behaviour” to disrupt China-Kenya cooperation is “resolutely opposed.”

The envoy’s comments come amidst a legislative push by US Senator Jim Risch of Idaho, ranking member of the powerful Senate Foreign Relations Committee to review Kenya and US ties.

Risch’s proposed amendment (SA 3628) to the upcoming fiscal year 2026 defence spending bill seeks a comprehensive review of Kenya’s diplomatic, economic, and security engagements, explicitly citing concerns over Nairobi’s links with China, Russia, and Iran. 

The amendment, if enacted, would compel a review of Kenya’s MNNA status, granted in June 2024 by the Joe Biden administration, which provides preferential access to US military equipment and enhanced security cooperation.

But the Chinese ambassador, Guo Haiyan, accused the US without naming it by name of enabling in divisive tactics while underscoring China’s stance.

She said in her veiled statement: “A few days ago, a certain country claimed that it would conduct a so-called ‘review’ of Kenya’s relationship with China. China-Kenya friendly cooperation is for the well-being of our two peoples. What does it have to do with other countries?” 

She asserted that such actions violate the principles of sovereign equality and non-interference in internal affairs, undermining the international system. 

In her terse statement, she further warned that the US is engaging in a “cold war mentality” and “hegemonic behaviour” in Kenya. 

“It is the typical Cold War mentality and hegemonic behaviour to disrupt other countries developing friendly cooperation out of narrow-minded prejudice to serve their own interests which we resolutely oppose,” she said. 

The Cold War Era refers to the period of geopolitical tension between the Soviet Union and the United States, along with their respective allies, from the end of World War II in 1945 until the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991. 

This era was characterised by ideological conflicts, military rivalries, and significant political events that shaped contemporary Europe and the world, as technological advancements played a crucial role in both warfare and diplomacy.

President William Ruto recently defended Kenya’s robust engagement with China, particularly in trade and investment. 

During a roundtable discussion on August 6, with business leaders in Nairobi, President Ruto explained that Kenya is seeking to address a significant trade imbalance with China, where Kenya imports Sh600 billion of products but exports only about five percent. He highlighted a “major breakthrough” with Chinese President Xi Jinping, after securing China’s agreement to remove tariffs on Kenyan agricultural exports such as tea, coffee, and avocados.

“It’s in the best interest of Kenya that we get into this market. Some of our friends are complaining that we are doing too much trade with China,” Ruto stated, alluding to the US concerns.

The Chinese ambassador to Kenya remarks also touched on the broader international landscape, lamenting the rise of “unilateralism, hegemony and bullying.” 

She stressed the importance of upholding the United Nations’ authority and the international order based on international law, advocating for a “equitable and orderly multipolar world” and “universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization.”

Risch’s amendment also expressed concern over Kenya’s participation in the Belt and Road Initiative.

Kenya’s Chinese-funded Naivasha-Mombasa railway is part of the Belt and Road Initiative, which is seen as China’s modern-day revival of the ancient Silk Road, that aims to connect Asia, Europe and Africa through more than 60 countries, and which collectively account for over 30 per cent of global GDP.

The US legislative pressure comes amid growing reports of US policy shifts under the Donald Trump administration impacting Kenya. 

A recent report from Democratic members of the US Senate Foreign Relations Committee warned that aggressive Trump administration trade policies and cuts to diplomatic aid are eroding US standing and creating opportunities for China. 

They include punishing 10 percent tariffs reinstated by the Trump administration on Kenyan exports, coupled with the impending expiration of the African Growth and Opportunity Act in September 2025, which are estimated by the Kenya Association of Manufacturers to wipe out $72 million in annual exports and jeopardise 600,000 jobs.

Central Bank of Kenya Governor Kamau Thugge also earlier revealed that preliminary assessments by the National Treasury indicate the Trump tariff could reduce Kenya’s exports to the US by approximately $100 million, equivalent to Sh12.9 billion.

The US Senate report separately noted stalled US development projects, such as a $60 million Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) programme for Nairobi’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, contrasting with aggressive Chinese financing of major infrastructure, including extensions of the $3.2 billion Nairobi-Mombasa standard gauge railway.

In security cooperation, China’s share of Kenya’s military imports has reportedly grown from nearly zero to 50 per cent over the past decade, with Beijing providing annual training for hundreds of Kenyan security personnel.

This shift follows the reported termination of a $2.5 million US aviation advisory program for Kenyan peacekeepers in March 2025.

The US through its acting ambassador to Kenya Carla Benini also weighed in on the raging tensions and assured President Ruto that Kenya remains central in its US-Africa policy.

While Kenyan officials emphasize their desire for balanced relations, they say the economic realities are compelling difficult choices.

“The irony is painful,” a senior Kenyan foreign affairs ministry official, speaking anonymously, told The Standard. “America says it wants to counter China in Africa, but its policies are practically handing opportunities to Beijing on a silver platter.”

The Chinese envoy concluded her remarks by stressing the importance of learning from history: “We shall take history as a mirror, strengthen the resolve to safeguard peace, draw wisdom and strength from the profound lessons of WWII and the great victory of the World Anti-Fascist War, resolutely oppose hegemony and power politics of all forms and work together to create a better future for the human race.”