Boom in China exports gives EAC first-ever trade surplus
Workers at a Chinese-owned factory in Kigali producing sportswear, workwear, and protective gear for export. EAC exports to China are rising—partly boosted by Trump-era tariffs.
Business and Technology Reporter in Nairobi, Kenya
Nation Media Group
A surge in exports to China helped the East African Community (EAC) post its first-ever trade surplus with the rest of the world in the quarter to March 2025, signalling a potential turning point in the region’s global trade position.
The eight-member bloc recorded a joint trade surplus of $840 million with global trading partners, its first positive balance in recent history, largely driven by a sharp rise in exports to China, its largest trade partner.
