China Unveils Series of Supportive Measures to Maximize Benefits of New Trade Policy
The Press - Under the impetus of China's new zero-tariff policy for African countries with diplomatic ties to China, a growing wave of specific African products has arrived on the Chinese market since the May 1st holidays, opening up new prospects for a thriving bilateral trade.
At midnight on May 1st, 24 tons of apples from South Africa were quickly cleared at Shenzhen, in the southern province of Guangdong. This is the first batch of imported goods to enter the Chinese market since the expansion of the zero-tariff policy to 53 African countries with which China has diplomatic relations.
Benefits for African Products
This extended policy comes as China, the African continent's top trading partner for 17 consecutive years, had already abolished tariffs on all tariff lines for imports from 33 of the least developed African countries with diplomatic ties to China on December 1st, 2024. The new batch of South African apples thus benefits from a zero-tariff rate instead of 10%, further enhancing the competitiveness of this product on the Chinese market.
Similarly, at Guangzhou, the provincial capital, customs officials cleared a shipment of over 6,900 kg of fresh Kenyan avocados shortly after midnight on May 1st. By the end of the day, these avocados were already on the tables of consumers in the Pearl River Delta region in southern China.
Before this policy change, Kenyan fresh avocados were subject to a 7% tariff. "The abolition of tariffs translates into better competitiveness and lower costs, which is a real advantage for us and Chinese consumers alike," says Yuan Chengjie, commercial director of Shenzhen Ouheng Import & Export Co., Ltd. "The almost permanent availability of Kenyan fresh avocados on the market makes it a highly sought-after product among Chinese consumers."
In addition to South African apples and Kenyan avocados, Africa exports a wide variety of products to China, ranging from Beninese pineapples to Rwandan dried peppers, through Malagasy mutton meat, Ghanaian black soap, Tunisian rosemary, and Nigerian cassia seeds.
Official Data Confirms Strong Dynamics
Official data confirms this strong dynamic. In 2025, China's trade with these 53 African countries reached a record high of $348.08 billion. In the first quarter of 2026, this figure stood at $92.16 billion, a 26.8% increase from the previous year.
The new zero-tariff policy applies not only to the least developed African countries but also to more developed African economies such as South Africa, Egypt, Nigeria, and Algeria. More high-quality local products should thus reach Chinese households.
Chinese Import Companies Adapt to Opportunity
"Total abolition of tariffs on African coffee beans has significantly expanded our procurement possibilities and provided us with a major cost-competitive advantage, facilitating the optimization of our supply chain," says Wang Xinguo, general manager of Ningbo Beiyuan Co., Ltd., a national coffee bean importer.
Wang adds that his company, encouraged by the zero-tariff policy, aims to increase its annual imports of green coffee beans from Africa by 15-20% to reach 1,200 tons this year.
A Series of Supportive Measures
Wang notes that importing a greater number of tariff-free products is only part of the story. China has unveiled a series of supportive measures to maximize the benefits of this policy.
Zhang Panjun, a customs official at a Zhejiang-based import-export company, recalls that a shipment of fresh oranges imported from Egypt arrived at the Shanghai Waigaoqiao Port while the certificate of origin was still being processed.
For most importers, without a valid certificate of origin, goods can be held up, blocking customs clearance and disrupting subsequent commercialization. "Fresh fruits are very sensitive to time factors, so I was very worried," explains Zhang Panjun.
To help Zhang's company benefit immediately from the zero-tariff benefits and avoid storage, warehousing, and deterioration fees, customs officials guided the company to file a supplementary declaration with a customs guarantee, clearing the Egyptian oranges first and completing formalities once the certificate was ready.
Other supportive measures are in the works. In line with this policy, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) has optimized procedures for access to quarantine services, published corresponding origin rules for the treatment of tariff-free African goods, and strengthened measures for the "priority lane" for African agricultural and food products, while actively cooperating with African countries in areas such as mutual recognition of approved economic operators.
Guo Xueyan, a GAC official, notes that customs authorities have revised the regulation on the registration of foreign food production enterprises, with a planned effective date of June 1st. This measure will further facilitate the export of African agricultural and food products to China.
The zero-tariff policy marks an important step in strengthening Sino-African economic cooperation, says Ms. Guo, who expects more prosperous trade relations between the two parties thanks to the opportunities offered by the vast Chinese market.
