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China to fund Kenyan road and rail schemes as it seeks support in opposing Trump tariffs

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China to fund Kenyan road and rail schemes as it seeks support for tariff stance

Chinese President Xi Jinping has agreed to finance the construction of Kenyan roads and railways including the rebuilding of a notorious accident black spot.

Xi made the pledge when he welcomed his Kenyan counterpart William Ruto to Beijing on Thursday, promising also to support “high-level connectivity, and sustainable trade”.

The funding he pledged will include work to rebuild the Nithi Bridge in central Kenya, a notorious death trap that has claimed hundreds of lives since its commissioning four decades ago. The plan involves the building of a viaduct that will remove the steep descents and sharp corners that make the bridge so dangerous.

Kenya is a key partner for China’s Belt and Road Initiative – a transcontinental infrastructure project – that has already helped build a rail link between Mombasa, Nairobi and the Central Rift Valley at a cost of around US$5 billion.

Apart from railway projects, China also agreed to allow Kenya to explore the issuing of yuan-denominated panda bonds while Xi pledged to continue talks about a free-trade agreement and to “import more fine Kenyan products and promote the balanced and sustainable development of bilateral trade”.

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