KNCCI in partnership with Shandong Business Institute jointly established the China-Africa Digital Trade Talent Joint Training Centre, with the endorsement and support of the leadership of CCPIT Shandong and CCPIT Yantai in Shandong Province.

The launch ceremony was presided over by Mr. Tian Changqing, Party Secretary and President of CCPIT Yantai, who detailed the centre’s preparation, coordination, and rapid progress. His leadership ensured that  Dr Erick Rutto as an Investment Advisor to Shandong Province proposal in November 2025 on Digital Trade Talent Promotion became a reality, signed cooperation and an operational hub within just five months.Speaking at the ceremony, Ms. Wei Feng, Party Committee Member and Vice President of CCPIT Shandong, declared that the centre must deepen practical cooperation between Shandong and African countries, that digital trade must become a new growth pole for China-Africa economic cooperation, and that the benefits of this partnership must flow directly to the people of both sides.

The China-Africa Digital Trade Talent Joint Training Centre is designed as a working institution. Its core role will be to equip Kenyan professionals, entrepreneurs and youth with certified digital trade skills, practical e-commerce training and direct market linkages to China. The centre will deliver accredited programmes in cross-border e-commerce, digital marketing, supply chain management and Chinese market entry strategies.

Chamber President Dr. Erick Rutto addressed the gathering via video message. He stated that the centre represents a strategic step forward in the China-Kenya digital cooperation model, creating a direct opportunity for Kenya to engage more deeply with certified digital trade professionals who understand both the technical tools of e-commerce and the cultural and regulatory landscape of the Chinese market.

Mr. Fredrick Mukilya, KNCCI’s Chief Representative in China, reaffirmed that KNCCI maintains a permanent presence in China to execute its mandate. He confirmed that the centre curriculum has already been reviewed and endorsed by the Kenyan team, ensuring that the training meets the specific needs.

President Wang Faming of Shandong Business Institute committed his institution to providing full faculty support, training facilities and continuous curriculum development to ensure that the centre remains relevant to the evolving needs of Kenyan traders and Chinese buyers.

Following the ceremony, guests toured the Shandong Business Institute Grain Science and Technology Museum, the Grain, Oil and Food Sciences College, and the Digital Business Industry Education Research Integration Practice Centre, witnessing firsthand the facilities where Kenyans will train, learn and return home equipped with certified digital trade skills, practical e-commerce expertise and direct pathways to access the Chinese market.

The China-Africa Digital Trade Talent Joint Training Centre is now operational and is expected to produce its first cohort of certified digital trade professionals within twelve months, directly supporting Kenya ambition to expand export capacity and integrate into global digital value chains.