Question: Starting from 1 May 2026, China has granted zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines to all 53 African countries that have diplomatic relations with China, becoming the world’s first major economy to realise full unilateral zero-tariff coverage for all African countries with which it has diplomatic ties. The policy has attracted extensive attention and positive response from across Africa. Against the backdrop of new challenges facing international trade, what is the significance of this policy?
Embassy Spokesperson: In recent years, under the guidance of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), China-Africa relations have achieved leapfrog development. China has established strategic partnerships with all African countries having diplomatic relations with China, and China has remained Africa’s largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years.
On 11 June 2025, President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to the Ministerial Meeting of Coordinators on the Implementation of the Follow-up Actions of FOCAC, announcing that China would implement the measure of granting zero-tariff treatment covering 100 percent of tariff lines to the 53 African countries having diplomatic relations with China, so as to provide greater convenience for exports from Africa’s least developed countries to China. China also expressed its readiness to work with African countries to advance the ten partnership actions, providing important guidance for China and Africa to jointly advance modernisation and build an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future for the new era.
On 14 February 2026, in a congratulatory message to the African Union Summit, President Xi Jinping announced that China would, from 1 May 2026, fully implement zero-tariff treatment for the 53 African countries having diplomatic relations with China. At the same time, China will continue to promote the negotiation and signing of the agreements on economic partnership for shared development. This is another major measure following China’s implementation, on 1 December 2024, of zero-tariff treatment covering 100 percent of tariff lines for all least developed countries having diplomatic relations with China. China has thus become the world’s first major economy to realise unilateral, full-coverage zero-tariff treatment for all African countries and all least developed countries having diplomatic relations with China.
The zero-tariff treatment implemented from 1 May 2026 targets the 20 African countries having diplomatic relations with China that are not classified as least developed countries. It is implemented in the form of preferential tariff rates for a period of two years. This is an innovative and interim arrangement in the process of negotiating the agreements on economic partnership for shared development with relevant African countries.
At a time when unilateralism and protectionism are on the rise and developing countries, including African countries, are facing severe challenges, China, guided by the principle of sincerity, real results, amity and good faith and the principle of pursuing the greater good and shared interests with Africa, has innovated in treaty-making practices. By taking the lead in implementing zero tariffs within a specified period and further opening its market, China is providing development opportunities for African countries. By negotiating and signing the agreements on economic partnership for shared development, China aims to ensure that African countries enjoy stable benefits and to provide long-term, stable and predictable institutional guarantees for deepening China-Africa economic and trade relations.
The other 33 African least developed countries already enjoying zero-tariff treatment will continue to benefit from the relevant provisions under the Announcement of the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council on Granting Zero-Tariff Treatment Covering 100 Percent of Tariff Lines to Least Developed Countries.
