China extends zero tariff access to 53 African nations

12:50

By: Dakir Madiha

China extends zero tariff access to 53 African nations

China has announced it will grant zero tariff treatment to imports from 53 African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations, effective 1 May 2026. The policy, confirmed by state media and regional outlets, expands existing trade preferences that already provided duty free access to a group of least developed African economies.

Under the new framework, all eligible goods produced in those 53 partner countries will enter the Chinese market without customs duties. The sole exception is Eswatini, the only African state that maintains diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Beijing has presented the decision as part of a broader effort to deepen economic cooperation with Africa and reinforce its position as a central trade and investment partner amid shifting global supply chains.

Chinese authorities indicated they will continue pursuing joint economic partnership agreements with African counterparts. These arrangements aim to move beyond tariff preferences toward more comprehensive cooperation covering investment, services and industrial development. Officials also plan to strengthen existing facilitation mechanisms, including the so called green channel for African agricultural exports, which accelerates inspection and quarantine procedures while broadening the range of goods eligible for preferential treatment.

In recent years, the green channel has enabled products such as Kenyan avocados, Ethiopian coffee and South African wine, along with various fresh fruits and seafood, to access Chinese consumers more efficiently and at reduced cost. With zero tariff coverage extended to all 53 partners, trade specialists anticipate a wider range of manufactured goods and higher value agricultural products entering the Chinese market. This shift could support export revenues in participating countries and encourage deeper industrial integration with Chinese companies.

Beijing has framed the initiative as a contribution to more inclusive globalisation and to South South cooperation. Officials argue that improved access to China’s large consumer base can help accelerate Africa’s economic transformation and diversification.

African governments are assessing how the policy will operate in practice, particularly in sectors such as textiles, processed foods and green technologies. While tariff free access may offer opportunities for local producers to expand exports and move up the value chain, it may also intensify competition in domestic markets as trade volumes grow under the new arrangement.