China’s Zero-Tariff Policy Delivers 23.5% Import Surge from Africa in First Two Months

International Business News  –    China’s expanded zero-tariff policy for African imports has delivered a sharp 23.5 percent year-on-year increase in imports from the continent during May and June, according to customs data released by the General Administration of Customs (GAC). The figures mark the first concrete results of a sweeping trade initiative that took effect on May 1, 2026, granting duty-free access to all 53 African countries with which Beijing maintains diplomatic relations.

Imports Reach 193.8 Billion Yuan in Two Months

Customs statistics show that China imported a total of 193.8 billion yuan (approximately $28.6 billion) from Africa during the May-June period. The growth was broad-based, with aquatic products and textile raw materials from Africa both recording double-digit year-on-year increases. Specialty fruits saw particularly strong gains: avocado imports surged by 130 percent, apples by 89.6 percent, oranges by 27.9 percent, and grapefruits by 11.9 percent.

Wang Jun, Deputy Director of the General Administration of Customs, told a press conference at the State Council Information Office on July 14 that the policy represents a “golden business card” for China-Africa cooperation in the new era. “China not only shares large-scale market opportunities with Africa, but also wishes to become an important driving force for Africa’s development and rejuvenation,” Wang said, citing infrastructure projects ranging from mining in Guinea to sports venues in Cape Verde and photovoltaic power stations in Kenya and South Africa.

Policy Expands Beyond Least Developed Countries

The zero-tariff initiative, which runs until April 30, 2028, builds on an earlier measure introduced in December 2024 that granted duty-free access to 33 African least developed countries. The expanded policy now covers larger African economies including South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt, Algeria, and Kenya. Eswatini remains the sole African country excluded from the arrangement due to its diplomatic recognition of Taiwan.

Prior to the policy change, African products such as cocoa from Côte d’Ivoire and Ghana, coffee and avocados from Kenya, and citrus fruits and wine from South Africa faced tariffs ranging from 8 percent to 30 percent. The tariff elimination has already accelerated shipments of agricultural goods into Chinese markets. At midnight on May 1, customs officials in Shenzhen cleared 24 tonnes of South African apples—the first shipment to enter under the new arrangement—followed hours later by more than 6,900 kilograms of fresh Kenyan avocados processed in Guangzhou.

Mechanical Exports to Africa Also Surge

Beyond imports from Africa, the first half of 2026 saw China’s exports of mechanical and electrical products to the continent climb 28.8 percent year-on-year. Photovoltaic products, power transmission equipment, general machinery, and auto parts all maintained robust growth momentum, according to customs officials.

Analysts Weigh Opportunities and Challenges

The policy has drawn attention from economists and trade analysts who see both promise and limitations. Brookings Institution analysts noted that while duty-free access could deepen economic ties by granting African exports greater access to the Chinese market, Africa’s exports to China remain concentrated in low-value primary products such as minerals and raw materials. The continent collectively runs a roughly $60 billion trade deficit with China, as African imports from China have grown faster than exports.

Writing in Business Daily Africa, analysts observed that tariff elimination improves the price competitiveness of African goods but does not automatically alter export composition. “Zero tariffs lower the entry barrier, but they do not substitute for investment in quality control, certification, branding and supply-chain coordination,” the commentary noted. Agricultural products such as tea, coffee, nuts, oilseeds, and horticultural goods are among the most immediate beneficiaries, particularly where African producers already meet Chinese sanitary and phytosanitary standards.

“Green Channel 2.0” to Further Facilitate Trade

In addition to tariff elimination, Chinese authorities have launched a “Green Channel 2.0” initiative simplifying access procedures for African agri-food products. The measure removes the need for country-by-country access protocols for products such as dried peppers, cashew nuts, and coffee beans. China has also pledged to upgrade clearance procedures to allow faster customs processing for African exports.

Chinese Ambassador to Cameroon Xu Yong, speaking at a press briefing in Yaoundé, encouraged Cameroonian exporters to seize the opportunity. “An open China offers immense opportunities across its territory,” Xu said. “We hope Cameroonian exporting companies will take part on a large scale and benefit from the dividends of China’s opening-up”. Cameroon’s exports to China rose 23.5 percent in the January-April 2026 period, according to figures cited by the ambassador.

China Positions Itself as Trade Liberaliser

The timing of the policy is significant. Beijing announced the expanded zero-tariff measure on April 28, 2026, at a moment when the United States was enforcing an Iran blockade and African finance ministers confronted a worsening energy shock in Washington. Analysts have characterised the move as a strategic positioning of China as a trade liberaliser at a time when the US is perceived to be closing doors. China-Africa trade reached $348 billion in 2025, up 17.7 percent, with first-quarter 2026 trade at $94.6 billion, up 23.7 percent.

The two-year duration of the policy—scheduled to expire in April 2028—has prompted some analysts to caution that the limited timeframe may constrain long-term investment planning. Nevertheless, for African exporters now able to access the world’s second-largest economy duty-free, the immediate impact has been unequivocal.