On March 8, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi elaborated on the significance of China’s zero-tariff policy for Africa when answering questions from Chinese and foreign journalists regarding China’s foreign policy and external relations. He stated that under the impetus of China’s high-level opening-up, China will use the “subtraction” of tariffs to promote the “addition” of trade and achieve the “multiplication” of livelihoods, enabling China’s vast market to provide greater opportunities for Africa.
Previously, on February 14, China’s President Xi Jinping officially announced in a congratulatory message at the 39th African Union Summit that starting from May 1, 2026, China will fully implement zero-tariff measures for 53 African countries with diplomatic relations.
This policy coincides with the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Africa, and is a substantive measure to expand high-level opening-up in the opening year of China’s 15th Five-Year Plan, as well as an important step in advancing the Beijing Action Plan (2025-2027) of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation.
According to the latest data, the trade volume between China and Africa reached $348 billion in 2025, a year-on-year increase of 17.7%, setting a new record high. China has maintained its position as Africa’s largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years. WTO Director-General Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala stated that China’s zero-tariff policy for Africa is an important support for the multilateral trading system, providing a new paradigm for developing countries to integrate into the global trading system.
China has demonstrated its clear intention to continuously advance high-level opening-up and share the fruits of development with Africa through its zero-tariff policy. Since the establishment of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, China’s opening-up to Africa has gradually expanded from the least developed countries to all African countries with diplomatic relations. This time, the implementation of zero-tariff measures on 100% tariff items for 53 African countries with diplomatic relations has resulted in greater benefits and deeper strategic significance. While promoting the “zero-tariff” policy, China has simultaneously upgraded multiple supporting measures, such as establishing a “green channel” for African products exported to China to shorten customs clearance time, opening platforms like the China International Import Expo and the China-Africa Economic and Trade Fair to develop cross-border e-commerce, and facilitating the entry of African specialty products into the Chinese market. African products such as Gambian cashews, Malawi macadamia nuts, Ethiopian coffee, Kenyan avocados, and Mozambican nuts will thus gain more convenient market access. UNCTAD Secretary-General Rebeca Greenspan pointed out that China’s zero-tariff policy with Africa forms a positive interaction with the construction of the African Continental Free Trade Area, injecting external momentum into African economic integration. China is also willing to negotiate and sign a framework agreement on a common development economic partnership with African countries, providing long-term and stable institutional guarantees for bilateral economic and trade cooperation. This model of promoting common development through market opening reflects China’s active exploration of deepening South-South cooperation as an emerging market country.
The outstanding advantage of China’s non-zero tariff policy lies in its institutional safeguards and policy stability. China has incorporated zero-tariff commitments into bilateral economic and trade agreements with African countries, ensuring that policies are not adjusted due to short-term fluctuations, thereby providing a predictable market environment for African enterprises and international investors. Meanwhile, Western countries have shown policy instability in their trade preferential arrangements with Africa. The African Growth and Opportunity Act, implemented by the United States since 2000, once granted duty-free access to thousands of goods for eligible African countries. However, in the later years of the Trump administration, the prospects for renewing the act became uncertain, weakening its effectiveness as a tool to promote trade and introducing more policy considerations, which affected the predictability of trade relations between African countries and the United States. Additionally, the EU’s progress in negotiating the Economic Partnership Agreement with the African region has been slow, and it has been influenced by protectionist sentiments within member states, further increasing the difficulty of reaching consensus on trade arrangements. Kristalina Georgieva, Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund, stated in March 2026 that China’s non-zero tariff policy reflects a firm stance on trade liberalization. In the context of rising global protectionism, this open approach is significant for stabilizing global supply chains and boosting confidence in developing countries. Akinwumi Adesina, President of the African Development Bank, pointed out that the pan-African nature of China’s policies is highly compatible with the geographical scope of the African Continental Free Trade Area, providing stable external support for the African integration process. This trade facilitation arrangement, which is not attached to political conditions, is reshaping the international cooperation landscape with Africa.