China aims to enhance competitive level of goods from the continent

China's expanded zero-tariff policy on African goods will significantly boost exports from the continent to the world's second-largest economy, helping African economies diversify exports and move up the value chain, said economists and foreign trade companies.

Effective May 1, China extended zero-tariff treatment to all African countries with which it has diplomatic ties, becoming the first major economy to offer unilateral, full zero-tariff access to its African partners.

Under the new measure, preferential zero-tariff treatment will be applied to imports from 20 African countries that are not classified as least developed countries between May 1, 2026, and April 30, 2028, according to the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council.

READ MORE: China's zero-tariff policy opens door wider for African imports

This move comes after China had granted zero-tariff treatment on 100 percent of tariff lines since Dec 1, 2024 for 33 least developed African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations.

Jervin Naidoo, an analyst covering Africa at British think tank Oxford Economics, said that by removing tariffs, China aims to enhance the competitiveness of African exports in its domestic market, especially agricultural products, as Chinese demand for coffee, cocoa, citrus and avocados continues to rise, positioning African producers to benefit from improved market access.

"While the immediate gains will be most visible in agriculture, the broader opportunity lies in enabling African economies to diversify exports and move up the value chain. If supported by the right domestic policies, this could accelerate industrial development and deepen integration into global supply chains," said Naidoo.

Guo Xueyan, director-general of the General Administration of Customs' department of international cooperation, said lower tariffs will enhance the competitiveness of African products in China, while rising exports will help African countries expand production and create jobs.

Driven by their complementary industrial structure and growing economic ties, China-Africa trade jumped 22.8 percent year-on-year to $126.85 billion in the first four months, the GAC said.

Foreign trade companies said China's favorable tariff policy is accelerating imports of African energy, coffee and agricultural products while deepening trade and supply-chain ties.

African countries such as Nigeria and Algeria's abundant natural gas resources and mature processing technologies make their low-impurity liquefied propane highly competitive in global downstream markets, according to information released by Huangpu Customs in Guangdong province.

"African energy products have become increasingly cost-competitive in recent years. Combined with the latest zero-tariff policy, import duties on liquefied propane have been cut from 5 percent to zero, making African supplies even more competitive than some traditional Middle Eastern cargoes," said Li Chaohong, vice-president of Jovo Energy Co Ltd (Dongguan), a seller of petroleum products in Dongguan, Guangdong province.

The company plans to import two cargoes of liquefied propane from countries including Nigeria and Algeria soon, with expected tariff savings of about 3 million yuan ($442,077).

ALSO READ: Zero-tariff for African nations with diplomatic ties with China

In the first quarter, Kunshan, Jiangsu province imported 650 million yuan worth of green coffee beans, up 43.6 percent year-on-year and maintaining its position as China's largest coffee bean import hub. Kunshan's imports from African countries accounted for 12.6 percent of the country's total green coffee bean imports, said Nanjing Customs.

Tan Wenquan, executive director of food import and export firm Nanjing Kenbei International Trade Co, said Kenyan coffee beans are known for their bright acidity and rich fruity aromas, making them increasingly popular among Chinese consumers.

Tan said that following implementation of the new policy, import tariffs on Kenyan-origin green coffee beans will be cut from the current 8 percent to zero, saving the company an estimated 600,000 yuan in tariffs this year.

Contact the writers at zhongnan@chinadaily.com.cn