Africa: Beijing Abolishes All Tariffs

Edited by : Mamoudou Samoura

In a landmark declaration at the China–Africa Cooperation Forum in Changsha on June 11, President Xi Jinping announced that China will eliminate tariffs on 100% of goods imported from its 53 African diplomatic partners—excluding only Eswatini, which does not maintain official ties with Beijing. This sweeping policy broadens duty-free access beyond the continent’s least developed nations to include emerging economies such as Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, and Morocco. It marks a bold effort to create a more balanced and inclusive trade relationship between China and Africa.

In addition to lifting tariffs, China pledged to provide professional training, marketing support, and simplified customs procedures—targeted especially at nations like Tanzania and Mali. Strategically, the initiative serves as a countermeasure to recent U.S. tariff hikes—some as high as 50%—and aims to address a $62 billion trade imbalance currently favoring China. With bilateral trade already surging to ¥963 billion (US $134 billion) in the first five months of 2025, this zero-tariff policy is expected to significantly boost African exports, deepen economic integration, and cement Beijing’s growing influence across the continent amid evolving global trade dynamics.