Chinese vehicle brands welcomed in Kenya

Beiqi-Foton set up shop in the eastern African nation in 2011. The company established the $14.1 million plant to assemble light trucks, motorbikes and pickups, among other vehicles.

Foton established the plant in Nairobi to avoid paying a 25 percent import duty, which pushes up prices of vehicles. The Kenya government has also given boost to Chinese vehicles.

In departure from traditional last year, the government acquired for its security and provincial administration officers Chery Tiggo vehicles, boosting their number on the eastern African nation's roads.

The Tiggo, which is described as a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV), replaced the British Land Rover and Japan's Toyata Land Cruiser, which the police and members of provincial administration have used for eons.

The Kenya government bought at least 400 Chery Tiggo vehicles for use in the sectors in a 16.1 million dollars deal.

The vehicles were sourced from Chery Automobile Company in China. They included Chery Tiggo estate cars, Land Mark SUV and Grand Tiger.

The Chery Tiggo resembles the Toyota models but it costs lower. The Kenya government acquired each vehicle at 24,137 dollars, which is half the price of what it used to buy the other models.

The growing presence of Chinese vehicle models in Kenya comes at a time when relations between China and the eastern African nation are becoming closer.

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