China Removes Tariffs on African Imports: Economic and Political Impact?

China has signaled its intent to bolster economic and political ties with African nations by announcing plans to lift tariffs on imports from the continent.

On June 11, 2025, Beijing declared it was prepared to scrap import duties on goods from African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations, with the notable exception of Eswatini, the sole African state that continues to recognize Taiwan.

The move comes amid an ongoing trade war with the United States, which was reignited under former president Donald Trump when his administration imposed a sweeping 34% tariff on Chinese imports.

The announcement was delivered in a message from President Xi Jinping to African foreign ministers during their meeting with Chinese counterpart Wang Yi. 

In the letter, Xi pledged that African nations maintaining diplomatic ties with Beijing would be granted full tariff exemption across all tariff lines.

The decision will allow African countries — including major economies such as South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, Morocco, Algeria, and Kenya — to export their goods to the vast Chinese market entirely free of import duties.

Strengthening Cooperation

According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs People’s Republic of China, “Foreign Minister Wang Yi attended the opening ceremony of the meeting and put forward five proposals on promoting high-quality China-Africa cooperation.”

The move is part of a broader effort by China to support development initiatives across the African continent while also addressing a stark trade imbalance that has long tilted heavily in its favor. 

In 2024 alone, China posted a trade surplus of $62 billion with Africa.

Beijing remains the continent’s largest trading partner, its top investor, and, as of 2023, its biggest creditor. African exports to China were valued at around $170 billion that year.

Outlining the benefits of the move, China’s ambassador to Morocco, Li Changlin, said the goal is “to implement zero-tariff treatment to 100 percent of tariff lines for 53 African countries.”

In an article published by Morocco’s Aldar news site on June 13, 2025, Li wrote that Beijing “will offer additional trade facilitation measures for exports from the least developed African countries into the Chinese market.”

“China and Africa stand ready to enhance exchanges between countries, legislatures and governments, and at subnational levels, deepen experience sharing in such areas as governance, modernization and poverty reduction, and support each other in exploring models of modernization based on the characteristics of their own civilizations, development needs, science, technology and innovation. China will always walk side by side with Africa on its path to modernization,” according to the Ministry of Foreign Affair People’s Republic of China.

Li went on to stress China’s commitment to deepening cooperation in areas such as security, finance, and the rule of law, describing them as essential pillars for advancing high-quality China–Africa development.

The ambassador also underlined that China does not wield tariffs as a political tool. 

As such, even the continent’s least developed countries have not been excluded, nor has Beijing resorted to anti-dumping or subsidy-related measures as a pretext for erecting trade barriers against Africa.

“China has opened its doors to quality African products,” he wrote, “from Morocco’s prized argan oil to pineapples from Benin, Ethiopian coffee to Rwandan chili peppers — all of which are set to become highly sought-after goods in the Chinese market.”

Li added that the move would further solidify trade relations between China and Africa, enhancing the competitiveness of African products and contributing to stronger economic growth across the continent.

According to the Chinese envoy, Beijing has engaged in deep consultations with its African partners and laid out a clear roadmap for China–Africa cooperation.

“At a time when some countries remain preoccupied with pursuing dominance—often at the expense of Africa’s interests and concerns—China firmly stands in contrast, positioning itself as a steadfast partner to the continent,” Li said.

Trade Balance

“It enables middle-income countries like Kenya, South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Morocco […] to be able to now enter the Chinese market duty-free,” Hannah Ryder, founder of Development Reimagined, an Africa-focused consultancy said.

According to Reuters, “trade between China and Africa has been growing in recent years, but it has been heavily skewed in favour of China, which had a surplus of $62 billion last year.”

“Unless we have an equivalent increase of African exports to China, then trade deficits will continue to increase,” Ryder said, adding that the initiative announced by Beijing could help to balance trade.

During last year's summit in Beijing, China pledged 360 billion yuan ($50 billion) to African economies over three years in credit lines and investments, marking its return to big-ticket funding deals for the continent after a pandemic-related hiatus.

Amid these signals of deepening economic cooperation with Africa, the fourth edition of the China–Africa Economic and Trade Expo opened in Changsha, China, drawing over 30,000 participants from 53 African countries, 11 international organizations, and more than 4,700 companies, trade associations, and financial institutions from both China and Africa.

China’s foreign minister stated that Beijing would support African nations in developing development models suited to their national circumstances.

According to African Times, “China’s strategy for large-scale development of its western region can be aligned with the African Union’s regional integration strategy to enhance synergy and complementarity.”

The minister added that China is determined to intensify cooperation with Africa under the Belt and Road Initiative, particularly in strategic sectors such as “green industry,” “e-commerce,” and “technological innovation.”

Moroccan economist Youssef el Karoui el Filali anticipates that the decision to remove tariffs on imports from African countries will have a positive impact across the continent, including Morocco.

Speaking to Al-Estiklal, el Filali explained that “Morocco, like many African countries, suffers from a structural trade deficit with China due to the high cost of imports relative to the low value of exports.”

“The decision presents an opportunity for African countries to strengthen their exports to China, especially since the reduction of tariffs will lower the overall cost of African products,” el-Filali said.

The economist did not rule out the possibility that some African nations could achieve a trade surplus with China once the measure is implemented.

“This move ultimately benefits China, as it imports a range of raw materials essential for its industrial sector—particularly those it re-exports globally—from African countries.”

“Overall, the decision is positive for African nations, as it will enable them to significantly increase their exports to China,” el Filali concluded.

Western Perspective

RFI questioned the scale and impact of China’s tariff exemption, noting that “it remains unclear which sectors will be affected by the announcement.”

In an analysis published on June 13, 2025, the broadcaster added that “African countries primarily export raw materials, minerals, and oil to China — commodities with low added value.”

The outlet further questioned whether China would truly grant tariff exemptions to South African cars, and if so, whether those vehicles would be competitive enough to generate significant demand in the Chinese market. It described these possibilities as purely hypothetical.

It also noted that since 2005, more than 20 African countries classified as least developed have benefited from near-complete tariff exemptions on their exports, yet the overall impact has remained marginal.

“These tariff reductions could also encourage African countries to remain within the existing system—that is, to continue relying on extractive economies rather than pursuing structural transformation,” RFI reported.

Echoing this view, the French newspaper Le Monde wrote on June 14, 2025, that expectations regarding the impact of Beijing’s announcement remain modest.

“The announcement must still be linked to a new economic agreement, the precise content of which remains unclear, as does its timeline for implementation.”

According to Le Monde, “More industrially advanced economies such as South Africa, Morocco, and Kenya will undoubtedly benefit to some extent from this preferential access to the Chinese market.”

“This advantage will likely apply to only a limited range of products, particularly in the agricultural food sector, as it seems difficult for South African cars or Kenyan jeans to compete with their Chinese counterparts overall.”

Le Monde concluded that any tariff reductions “are likely to have, at best, a very marginal impact.”

Strategic Interests

The Voice of Africa described China’s decision as not merely economic but a distinctly strategic move.

In a June 12, 2025, analysis, the site noted that “facing slowing domestic economic growth and an ageing population, China is turning to Africa both as a source of raw materials and as a market for its manufactured goods and technological solutions.”

“The move also strengthens China’s influence across the Global South, challenging the long-dominant Western models of trade and aid, and starkly contrasting with the United States, which recently imposed steep tariffs of up to 50% on a range of imported goods — including some from African countries.”

“This Chinese initiative is widely seen as an attempt to position itself as a more reliable and steadfast partner to Africa,” the Voice of Africa reported.

“African leaders have responded positively to China’s offer but have called for the relationship to extend beyond raw materials.”

In this vein, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, among others, urged China to support Africa’s industrialisation efforts by importing more manufactured and value-added products rather than unprocessed goods.

“If effectively implemented, the tariff removals could encourage African countries to expand their manufacturing and agro-processing sectors, boosting economic diversification and reducing dependence on raw commodity exports. It may also help African entrepreneurs integrate more fully into global supply chains,” the Voice of Africa added.

“significant challenges remain. Many African countries lack the infrastructure and capacity needed to scale up production or meet Chinese quality standards. Without strategic investments in industrial development, logistics, and trade facilitation, the full benefits of duty-free access may not be realized.” 

The Voice of Africa noted that the announcement also carries “significant geopolitical implications, highlighting China’s growing role as a global economic leader and a key player in Africa’s development. This policy may prompt other major economies, including the United States and the European Union, to reassess their trade relations with Africa in order to maintain competitiveness.”

Furthermore, the decision strengthens China’s standing in forums such as the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation and the Belt and Road Initiative, where it has consistently emphasized mutual development, infrastructure investment, and win-win cooperation.