China’s zero-tariff initiative exemplifies its sustained support for developing countries both in multilateral trading system and industrial development

Starting May 1, China extended zero-tariff treatment to the 53 African countries that have diplomatic relations with China. Concurrently, it will advance the negotiation and signing of China-Africa Economic Partnership for Shared Development and upgrade green lanes to further expand the access of African agricultural exports to the Chinese market.

According to an announcement by the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council, from May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2028, China will apply zero-tariff treatment to in-quota goods imported from 20 African countries that have established diplomatic ties with China and are not classified as the least developed countries, provided they comply with the rules of origin and hold the required certificate of origin.

For the 33 least developed African countries that have diplomatic ties with China, the Chinese government has extended zero-tariff treatment to 100 percent of their tariff lines, effective Dec 1, 2024. This makes China the first major economy in the world to grant unilateral, full-coverage zero-tariff treatment to all African countries that have diplomatic relations with it, and to all least developed countries that have diplomatic ties with it. This initiative is key to upgrading China-Africa trade and economic cooperation.

First, the zero-tariff treatment meets Africa’s strong desire to expand exports to China. For too long, some African goods have faced unstable export channels and relatively high market access barriers, making it difficult to reach markets consistently. China’s zero-tariff policy can help smooth these channels and share the opportunities of the Chinese market with the continent. This move can also help enhance the competitiveness of local African products and create profits for businesses on both sides.

In the short term, zero-tariff treatment will notably help African agricultural, mining and light industrial products enter the market more easily. Countries with production advantages in agriculture, such as Kenya, South Africa and Cote d’Ivoire, are particularly well-positioned to benefit directly.

For example, China and Kenya have signed the Early Harvest Arrangement of the Agreement on Economic Partnership for Shared Development. Under this arrangement, Kenyan tea, coffee and avocados entered the Chinese market duty-free and quota-free starting May 1. Similarly, under the early harvest arrangement between China and the Republic of the Congo, 100 percent of tariff lines were zero-rated for Congolese goods, allowing agricultural specialties such as tuckahoe, peanuts and cocoa beans to enter the market more quickly, while the Republic of the Congo will also further open its market to Chinese goods.

As the largest developing member of the World Trade Organization, China has long actively supported the integration of developing countries into the multilateral trading system. The zero-tariff initiative is undoubtedly the latest example of this effort.

Second, the zero-tariff initiative opens new doors for Africa to better harness its critical mineral wealth. Against the backdrop of the global green energy transition, Africa’s rich deposits of cobalt, platinum group metals, and other key minerals have made it a vital hub for resource supply. Yet, due to limited processing capacity, fragmented industrial chains and poor infrastructure, some African nations remain trapped in the “resource curse” — exporting raw materials with low value addition while struggling to achieve economic transformation.

The zero-tariff policy can inject new dynamic into the upgrading of African mineral resources. Previously, Chinese companies preferred to import raw ores from Africa, as processed mineral products faced high tariff barriers, making local processing economically unappealing. Now, under the zero-tariff framework, processed African minerals — such as refined metals and precursors — can enter China duty-free, provided they meet the rules of origin. The requirement of “regional value content of not less than 40 percent” is achievable, since local ores, African-origin materials, and even Chinese-origin inputs exported to Africa all count toward the threshold.

This differential cost makes deep processing in Africa more profitable than simply exporting raw ores, thereby incentivizing Chinese companies to shift from “buying ores” to “investing in processing chains” — building complete mineral supply chains in Africa, from exploration and extraction to processing, along with integrated upstream and downstream industrial parks. This transformation not only enhances Africa’s local processing capacity but also helps turn its resource advantages into genuine development strengths.

Third, this preferential access paves the way for a closer shared China-Africa market. Zero tariffs mark only the beginning of deeper pragmatic cooperation. The ultimate goal is to move both sides toward a free trade-oriented partnership. So far, China has signed new framework agreements on economic partnership for shared development with 34 African countries, creating long-term, stable and predictable institutional safeguards for deepening China-Africa trade and investment.

As the benefits of zero tariffs fully materialize, each side will come to better recognize the value of the other’s market. That growing recognition will, in turn, accelerate the implementation of existing framework agreements, pave the way toward bilateral free trade agreements and eventually lead to a free trade area between China and African countries.

Against the backdrop of building a China-Africa shared market, cooperation on production capacity between the two sides is poised for unprecedented major opportunities. China has the world’s most complete industry chains, while Africa is home to the largest number of developing countries. They are highly complementary in their industry and supply chains.

Zero-tariff policies and institutional arrangements will work in tandem, helping Chinese enterprises go deeper into the African market.

From a market access perspective, zero tariffs will lower the export costs of products made by Chinese-invested factories in Africa. Locally processed goods that meet rules of origin can enter the Chinese market duty-free, improving the expected profitability and economic viability of value-added processing investments in Africa.

From an investment security standpoint, signing agreements on economic partnership for shared development gives Chinese companies stronger legal protections when investing in or building factories across Africa. This reduces risk and creates a stable, predictable environment for long-term operations. Together, these two forces will help the continent build its own manufacturing base. The result is a collaborative model — Chinese technology plus African resources, localized production — that raises Africa’s position in the global industry chains.

The deep integration of Chinese capital and technology with African resources will give rise to more “Made in Africa” goods. This will not only meet Africa’s own development needs, but also keep such goods flowing into the Chinese market, helping the continent attract investments from China and other countries, move toward a new height in global manufacturing and establish itself as the next world production hub. In this sense, one important role of zero tariffs is to build confidence in the deep integration of the two large markets of China and Africa for a shared future in multilateral trade.

The author is an assistant research fellow at the Department for Developing Countries Studies at the China Institute of International Studies.

The author contributed this article to China Watch, a think tank powered by China Daily. The views do not necessarily reflect those of China Daily.

Contact the editor at editor@chinawatch.cn.