By Liao Ruiling
On a quiet weekday afternoon in a Beijing coffee shop, customers savor their drinks, largely unaware of the extraordinary journey behind each bean.
Shop owner Zhang Xue sources most of her coffee beans from Rwanda, where high altitudes and sharp day-night temperature differences create ideal conditions for cultivation. The region’s unique climate and soil produce beans with a distinctive fruity and floral fragrance.
“Imported coffee beans once served a niche market,” Zhang notes. “Curiosity was high, but prices were steep. Now, with deepening China-Africa cooperation and tariff reforms, Rwandan beans have become accessible to everyday coffee lovers.”
This change extends far beyond coffee. Across Chinese supermarkets, South African wines, Senegalese tuna, Kenyan avocados, and Beninese pineapples are now increasingly common, demonstrating the remarkable results of China’s tariff adjustments for African products.
In recent years, China has steadily expanded market access for African countries. Effective from Dec. 1, 2024, China has granted zero-tariff treatment to all least developed countries (LDCs) with which it has diplomatic relations, including 33 African nations on 100 percent of their products.
Recently, China announced the extension of zero-tariff treatment to cover 100 percent of tariff lines for all 53 African countries that have diplomatic ties with China. Industry observers believe this move will foster deeper industrial collaboration, creating greater added value for both sides.
“The zero-tariff policy significantly reduces market entry barriers for African products, paving the way for higher export volumes and more diversified product categories,” said Wang Jinjie, deputy secretary-general of the Peking University Center for African Studies.
Last year, China-Africa trade reached $295.6 billion, setting a record high for the fourth consecutive year, and marking the 16th consecutive year China has remained Africa’s largest trading partner.
Since the launch of the zero-tariff policy through March this year, China’s imports from African LDCs rose 15.2 percent year on year, reaching $21.42 billion. In the first quarter of this year, Chinese imports of African coffee surged by 70.4 percent, while cocoa bean imports rose by 56.8 percent.
Unlike reciprocal free-trade models requiring complex negotiations, China’s approach offers unilateral, equal market access to all African partners. “Combined with streamlined customs procedures,” Wang adds, “this institutional innovation aligns with Africa’s aspirations for fair global trade participation.”
African nations differ widely in geography, resource endowments, and economic structures. Kenya, for example, is a major flower exporter, Tanzania is known for its cashews and sisal, and South Africa, one of Africa’s most economically developed countries, maintains a relatively complete industrial system with relatively mature industries such as mining and agriculture.
According to Zhang Chuanhong, a professor at the College of Humanities and Development Studies at China Agricultural University, whether resource-rich, agriculture-based, or industrially underdeveloped, African countries can leverage the zero-tariff policy to boost exports, develop their industrial and value chains, and accelerate local economic growth.
China further supports Africa through industrial capacity building. Tang Wenhong, assistant minister of commerce, noted that Chinese enterprises are investing in and building economic and trade parks across Africa, promoting industrial collaboration, and contributing to local tax revenues, employment, and export earnings.
In Egypt, the China-Egypt Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone built by Chinese companies has formed clusters in textiles, glass, building materials, and home appliances, serving as a model for African industrialization.
In Tanzania, the East Africa Commercial and Logistics Center built by Chinese enterprises has attracted over 430 small and medium-sized enterprises. Once fully operational, it is expected to create more than 20,000 local jobs.
In Zambia, the Zambia-China Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone developed by Chinese companies is building a complete copper industry chain, from copper mining to smelting and processing, helping Africa raise the added value of mineral products.
China will continue to take African partners’ specific conditions and needs into account, pursuing a flexible and pragmatic approach in negotiations on areas such as trade facilitation, inclusive growth, resilient supply chains, and industrial modernization, said an official with the Chinese Ministry of Commerce.
China aims to enter into agreements that comply with World Trade Organization rules and serve the interests of both sides as early as possible, ultimately achieving zero tariffs on 100 percent of tariff lines, the official added. Leveraging the advantages of its vast market and the progress of Chinese modernization, China aims to create more opportunities for African countries and support their participation in global trade on more equal terms.
China implements zero-tariff policy for 53 African countries
