BEIJING, April 22 (Xinhua) -- Bilateral trade between China and Kenya reached a record high in the first quarter of the year, official data showed on Tuesday, demonstrating the deepening economic ties between the two countries.

According to the General Administration of Customs, goods trade between the two countries in the first three months climbed 11.9 percent year on year to reach 16.13 billion yuan (about 2.24 billion U.S. dollars), marking the sixth consecutive quarter of growth.

China's exports to Kenya saw a year-on-year increase of 11.8 percent during the period, while imports from Kenya went up by 13.2 percent, the customs data showed.

China and Kenya have robustly expanded cooperation in an array of areas since the establishment of diplomatic relations more than six decades ago. Their ties were elevated to a comprehensive strategic cooperative partnership in 2017.

Today, China is Kenya's largest trading partner and the biggest source of its imports, while Kenya is China's biggest trading partner in East Africa.

Bilateral trade has delivered tangible benefits to people in both countries. Chinese goods such as home appliances, electrical components and construction machinery have supported Kenya's infrastructure development and broadened consumer choices. Meanwhile, Kenyan agricultural products, ranging from avocados to tea, are appearing more frequently on Chinese dining tables.