President William Ruto's five-day state visit to China, starting today, April 22, is being described as a high-stakes diplomatic and economic mission, according to analysts and officials in both Beijing and Nairobi.

Ruto is the first African leader to visit Beijing since US tariffs disrupted global trade, presenting Kenya with a unique opportunity to capitalise on the fallout, analysts say.

This visit comes at a time when the global economic landscape is shifting due to rising trade protectionism.

Kenya is one of the countries affected by the punitive tariffs imposed by the Donald Trump administration, which have sparked a global trade war.