Asia Sentinel

Asia Sentinel

Business/Economy

Trading Avocadoes for Political Influence

China’s obsession with self-reliance can cost it political leverage

Nov 05, 2026
∙ Paid
By: Xiaochen Su

In May, Kenya sent its first shipment of fresh avocados and avocado oil to China under the new zero-import tariff policy. Kenyan producers hailed a new era for Kenya as Africa’s leading agricultural exporter, capable of chipping away at China’s steady trade imbalance with the continent.

There is certainly a business case to be made. Afte…

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