China grants duty-free access to all African countries amid shifting global trade dynamics .
China has announced plans to eliminate tariffs on all imports from African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations, in a major shift in trade policy.
The move significantly expands an earlier policy that granted zero-tariff treatment only to the least-developed nations on the continent.
Chinese President Xi Jinping made the announcement in a letter addressed to African foreign ministers, stating that all 53 African countries with formal ties to Beijing will now receive “zero-tariff treatment for 100% of tariff lines.”
This development is part of China’s broader strategy to deepen economic ties with African nations as it navigates a protracted trade war with the United States.
The policy expansion builds on earlier commitments made at a China-Africa summit in September, where 33 least-developed African countries were previously granted duty-free access to the Chinese market.
The results are already being felt as Chinese exports to Africa surged 12.4% in the first five months of the year, reaching a record 963 billion yuan ($134 billion), according to China’s Foreign Ministry.
Source: Nairametrics