China has announced its readiness to drop the tariffs on imports from all 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic relations.
The fiscal measure, which was announced at a China-Africa co-operation meeting and reported by BBC, is coming as countries in the the continent are confronted with likely higher tariffs on exported products to the United States.
China is Africa’s largest trading partner – a position it has held for the last 15 years – with Africa exporting goods to the Asian nation worth around $170bn (£125bn) in 2023.
A joint ministerial statement criticized “certain countries’ [efforts to] disrupt the existing international economic and trade order” through the unilateral imposition of tariffs, and called on the US to resolve trade disputes on the basis of “equality, respect and mutual benefit”.
The zero-tariff move, if implemented, will be an extension of the deal made last year for China to drop tariffs on goods from 33 African nations classified as “least developed”.
Under the latest tariff initiative, the expanded list will include South Africa, Nigeria and other big trading partners of China in the continent.
As it were now, China has not said when the decision will come into effect.
Eswatini is the only African state excluded from the zero-tariff list as it recognises Taiwan as an independent country, whereas China regards it as a breakaway province
It would be recalled that last April, President Donald Trump triggered controversies among US trading partners by announcing high tariffs on its imports form many countries, including a 50% rate for Lesotho, 30% for South Africa and 14% for Nigeria.
According to US Treasury Secretary, Scott Bessent, though the implementation has been paused until next month, the temporary halt could be extended further for countries that are negotiating “in good faith.”
Available data on US merchandize trade with African countries last year showed that the US imported $39.5 billion worth of goods from Africa. Some of the goods were exported to the US under the zero-tariff deal known as the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which now looks under threat if the Trump administration goes ahead with the imposition of fresh charges.
