China and Kenya said on Thursday they oppose "new hegemonic tactics" such as illegal unilateral sanctions, tariff barriers and technological blockades.

The declaration came in a joint statement issued during Kenyan President William Ruto's current visit to China.

Ruto pledged to build closer ties with China after saying on Wednesday that a global trade war triggered by Washington could deal a “death blow” to the current world order.

Ruto is on a five-day visit to China, his third trip to Beijing since taking office in 2022. The visit comes at a time when both Kenya and China are seeking to expand ties amid a tariff fight between Washington and Beijing.

Kenya wants to learn from “China’s remarkable journey of transformation in governance, economic development and global leadership,” he said.

He thanked President Xi Jinping for tens of millions of dollars in support for health, education and disaster relief, as well as for the planned construction of a new complex for Kenya’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Xi told Ruto that “China attaches great importance to China-Kenya relations” and that Beijing would work with Kenya to develop the “unity and cooperation of the global South.” Xi is looking to shore up partnerships and find solutions for the high trade barrier that the United States has imposed on Chinese exports.

Kenya is a key participant in China’s Belt and Road Initiative, the ambitious plan that aims to connect Africa, Asia and Europe through massive infrastructure and energy projects. China has funded billions of dollars’ worth of Kenyan roads, ports and a railway that runs from the coastal city of Mombasa through the capital, Nairobi.

Ruto's "death blow" comment came in a keynote speech at Peking University in which he criticized the UN Security Council and the current world order, calling it “broken, dysfunctional and no longer fit for purpose” and saying the tariffs imposed by Trump “may be its final death blow”.

Many African nations face uncertainty over the tariffs, which threaten key industries that export to the United States.

The United States is one of Kenya’s largest export destinations, while China is Kenya’s top supplier.

After the meeting, the two countries signed security, technology, and economic agreements, as well as agreements on railways and the establishment of a new Kenyan consulate in Guangzhou. (Reuters/AP)