China to Eliminate Tariffs on African Exports to Strengthen Trade Ties

China has announced plans to remove all tariffs on goods from 53 African nations with which it maintains diplomatic relations, aiming to boost trade and economic cooperation across the continent. This forthcoming economic agreement is expected to benefit not only the least developed countries (LDCs) but also middle-income economies.

While China already provides duty- and quota-free access to many LDCs, this new arrangement will expand those benefits to more economically advanced African countries, creating a more level playing field. The Chinese foreign ministry highlighted the country’s openness to welcoming high-quality African products, following a meeting in Changsha between Chinese officials and African foreign ministers to assess progress on previous commitments made during a summit held in Beijing last year.

Acknowledging that more developed African economies such as South Africa could have competitive advantages over countries like Mali or Tanzania, China also promised additional support for LDCs. These measures will include skills training and marketing assistance to help these nations remain competitive.

Analysts believe the initiative will particularly benefit countries with established manufacturing sectors and value-added exports, giving them greater access to China’s large consumer market. This includes nations such as Nigeria, Egypt, Kenya, South Africa, and Morocco.

Although trade between China and Africa has grown, it has largely favored China, which posted a $62 billion trade surplus with the continent last year. Experts note that increasing African exports is critical to addressing this imbalance, and the tariff removal could be a step in that direction.

At the Beijing summit last year, China committed 360 billion yuan (around $50 billion) in investments and credit lines to African economies over a three-year period, signalling a renewed focus on deepening financial and commercial engagement with the region following the COVID-19 pandemic.