Kenya’s diplomatic footing continued to slide this week after President William Ruto’s remarks in China sparked a backlash at home deepening concerns about the country’s entanglement in global rivalries and its inconsistent foreign policy stance.

Speaking Wednesday at a forum in Beijing, Ruto appeared to downplay the economic standing of neighboring Uganda and Tanzania, describing them as “least developed countries” (LDCs) in contrast to Kenya’s middle-income status.

The comments—meant to highlight Kenya’s disadvantage in accessing duty-free exports to China—triggered an uproar among locals, who accused the president of insulting vital regional allies.