NAIROBI, April 24 (Xinhua) -- A promotional conference for the fourth China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo (CAETE) 2025 was held in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi on Thursday, with government officials, diplomats, and business executives in attendance.
The forum was hosted by China's Department of Commerce of Hunan Province amid intensive efforts to enhance Sino-Kenya commercial links.
Zhou Zhencheng, minister counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Kenya, said that the expo, slated for June 12-15 in the Chinese city of Changsha, has become a powerful engine for connecting African entrepreneurs with Chinese consumers as well as global value chains.
He noted that the event symbolized the growing partnership between China and Africa and will help to deepen people-to-people ties.
Guo Ning, deputy director general of the Department of Commerce of Hunan Province, said via video that CAETE is a pivotal initiative to drive China-Africa cooperation. She revealed that the expo has been successfully held for three sessions since 2019, with participation from 53 African countries, including more than 40,000 attendees and representatives of about 4,600 Chinese and African enterprises.
Floice Mukabana, chief executive officer of Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency, said that CAETE serves as a critical platform for Kenyan exporters to connect with buyers, distributors, and partners in the vast Chinese market.
Mukabana observed that China remains a critical trade and investment partner for Kenya with vast untapped export potential, especially in fresh produce, value-added agricultural and processed foods, textiles, and leather products.
Ezekiel Mosongo, head of bilateral trade at the Ministry of Investments, Trade, and Industry, said that since its inception, the expo has grown to become a cornerstone of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, not as a marketplace for goods and services but also as a platform for innovation, dialogue and long-term collaboration.
Mosongo added that Kenya recognizes the expo as both a trade event and an enabler for the national development agenda, particularly in such areas as agribusiness, manufacturing, and digital innovation.
