Zero-tariff expansion lifts China-Africa trade

Résumé détaillé

China's expanded zero-tariff treatment for African goods could encourage more investment in processing and manufacturing on the continent, helping producers supply higher-value…

China's expanded zero-tariff treatment for African goods could encourage more investment in processing and manufacturing on the continent, helping producers supply higher-value products to the Chinese market, executives and researchers said.

African exports to China are expected to enter a period of rapid growth over the coming years as industries develop and logistics improve, said Yuan Xiaohui, a senior researcher at the Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation, a think tank under the Ministry of Commerce.

Speaking at the recent China-Africa Private Sector Cooperation Forum 2026 in Beijing, Yuan said the policy could make Africa more attractive to investors seeking to produce and process goods for Chinese consumers.

"Chinese firms' investment in Africa will expand further from primarily serving local market demand to export-oriented investment," she said.

China extended zero-tariff treatment on May 1 to all 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic relations. The move added 20 countries to the 33 least-developed countries on the continent that had already received zero tariffs on all tariff lines since December 2024.

By removing tariffs on processed goods, the policy strengthens the incentive to process more of Africa's agricultural produce and raw materials before export, thus adding more value and creating local jobs, Yuan said.

Access to the Chinese market, combined with Africa's potential advantages in land, labor and raw materials, could bring capital, equipment, technology and management expertise into local industries, she added.

Bertha Amakali, minister counsellor at the Namibian embassy in China, said her country wanted to move from simply exporting raw materials to becoming an industrial hub, and welcomed Chinese companies to become long-term partners.

The task for African economies was to convert access to China's market into productive capacity, higher-value jobs and lasting economic transformation, Amakali said, adding that…

Début de l'article, extrait de China Daily Business. Pour lire la suite, ouvrez l'article chez le média.