China Strengthens Global Trade Position with Zero-Tariff Agreement for Africa.
China has announced its readiness to eliminate tariffs on imports from all 53 African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations.
The announcement was made during a China-Africa cooperation meeting and comes at a time when the continent faces the potential threat of increased tariffs on its exports to the United States.
China remains Africa’s largest trading partner—a position it has held for the past 15 years—with African exports to the Asian nation valued at around $170 billion (£125 billion) in 2023.
In a joint ministerial statement, both sides criticized efforts by “certain countries” to disrupt the current international economic and trade order through the unilateral imposition of tariffs.
China has urged the United States to resolve trade disputes based on the principles of equality, respect, and mutual benefit.
The zero-tariff initiative, once implemented, will expand on an earlier agreement made last year under which China removed tariffs on goods from 33 African countries classified as “least developed.”
The updated list will now include some of China’s largest trading partners on the continent, including South Africa and Nigeria. However, China has not yet announced when the new policy will take effect.
Eswatini is the only African country excluded from the zero-tariff plan, due to its recognition of Taiwan as an independent nation—a stance opposed by China, which considers Taiwan a breakaway province.
Currently, China imports a significant volume of raw materials from Africa, particularly from the Democratic Republic of Congo and Guinea.
In April, former U.S. President Donald Trump raised concerns among U.S. trading partners by announcing steep tariffs on imports from several countries—50% on goods from Lesotho, 30% from South Africa, and 14% from Nigeria.
The U.S. has since paused the implementation of those tariffs until next month. However, the pause may be extended for countries that are negotiating “in good faith,” according to U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
In 2024, the U.S. imported $39.5 billion worth of goods from Africa, largely under the zero-tariff framework provided by the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). That agreement now appears to be at risk if the Trump administration proceeds with its proposed new tariffs.
