BEIJING – The Rwanda Patriotic Front (RPF-Inkotanyi) Secretary General Christophe Bazivamo is in China for high-level talks aimed at strengthening ties between the ruling parties of the two countries and expanding cooperation in education, research and training.
Bazivamo met Liu Haixing, Minister of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC), during his working visit.
The two delegations discussed areas of mutual interest and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening relations between the RPF and the CPC.
The two parties have a longstanding relationship rooted partly in their shared histories of liberation struggles. Their cooperation has expanded through political exchanges, governance discussions and training programmes.
Both parties have also expressed interest in deepening ties under the leadership of Rwandan President Paul Kagame and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Bazivamo also visited the CPC Central Committee Party School, where he held talks with the vice president. Their discussions focused on cooperation in training party cadres, research and development.
During the visit, Bazivamo is expected to travel to Changsha, where two memorandums of understanding are scheduled to be signed.
One will link the Changsha Museum with the Rwanda Heritage Conservation Authority (RHCA). The second will establish cooperation between Rwanda Polytechnic and Changsha Vocational and Technical College.
Party ties and expanding trade
Relations between the RPF and CPC form part of broader ties between Rwanda and China, which established diplomatic relations in 1971. The two countries elevated their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership in September 2024.
China has become Rwanda’s largest trading partner. Bilateral trade reached $849 million in 2025, a 27% increase from the previous year, according to figures reported by KT Press. Rwanda’s exports to China reached $227 million, up 42% year-on-year.
Trade has continued to expand in 2026. China accounted for 26.7% of Rwanda’s imports in the first quarter, worth about $355.5 million. It also became Rwanda’s largest export destination during the period, receiving nearly $95 million in Rwandan goods.
Rwanda exports coffee, tea, chili, minerals and other products to China. Beijing’s decision to grant tariff-free access to imports from least-developed countries has also created opportunities for Rwandan exporters.
Cooperation extends beyond trade to infrastructure, agriculture, education, manufacturing and technology. Chinese-backed projects and training programmes have supported Rwanda’s development priorities, while Rwandan businesses increasingly seek access to the Chinese market.
Rwanda joins China’s payments network
The economic relationship has also expanded into financial services. In September, Bank of Kigali became the first bank headquartered in East and Central Africa to join China’s Cross-Border Interbank Payment System (CIPS) as a direct participant.
The system processes cross-border payments in China’s currency, the renminbi. The agreement was signed on September 8 in Xiamen, China.
The new connection is expected to make payments between Rwanda and China more direct and reduce the number of intermediaries involved in some transactions. This could benefit Rwandan importers paying Chinese suppliers and exporters receiving payments from Chinese buyers.
CIPS does not replace SWIFT, the international network banks use to exchange payment instructions. The two systems perform different functions and can work together.
The financial link reflects the growing volume of trade between the two countries and efforts to make transactions easier for businesses operating across both markets.
Bazivamo’s visit adds to a series of exchanges between the RPF and CPC as the two parties seek to deepen cooperation. The planned agreements in Changsha are expected to extend that engagement into heritage conservation and technical education.
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