China Offers Zero-Tariff Trade Boost to African Nations Amid US Tensions
- GMCCTradeteam
- 4 days ago
- 2 min read
Updated: 3 days ago
China has announced plans to remove tariffs on imports from all 53 African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations, a move that could significantly strengthen economic ties between the continent and its largest trading partner.
The announcement, made at a China-Africa co-operation meeting, comes at a time when many African nations face the prospect of increased trade barriers with the United States. In contrast, China is offering duty-free access to a wide range of African goods, building on a previous agreement that removed tariffs on exports from 33 of Africa’s least developed countries.
The updated deal is expected to benefit major African economies such as South Africa and Nigeria, although Beijing has not confirmed when the new zero-tariff policy will come into force. Eswatini remains the only African country excluded, due to its diplomatic recognition of Taiwan, which China views as a breakaway province.
China has long been a key economic partner for Africa, with the continent exporting approximately $170bn (£125bn) worth of goods to China in 2023, primarily in raw materials such as minerals from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Guinea.
A joint ministerial statement from the meeting took a swipe at countries seen to be undermining the global trade system through unilateral tariff increases. Without naming the United States directly, the statement called for international disputes to be resolved on the basis of "equality, respect and mutual benefit".
Meanwhile, concerns are growing over the future of the US’s Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), as the Trump administration considers new tariffs on imports from the continent including proposed rates of 50% on goods from Lesotho, 30% for South Africa, and 14% for Nigeria. Although implementation has been paused until next month, it remains uncertain how long this reprieve will last.
With Africa caught between shifting global trade policies, China’s offer of zero-tariff access could provide a welcome economic lifeline and may signal a further pivot towards stronger South-South co-operation in an increasingly divided global landscape.
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Sources: BBC
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