In June 2025, China removed all tariffs on exports from 53 African countries. This is a transformative opportunity for African economies to expand their export base, create jobs and integrate more meaningfully into the global economy.

It is also a strong signal that China is willing to reshape its engagement with Africa based on fairness, mutual benefit and shared growth. 

For years, African leaders and economists have pointed to the imbalance in trade between the continent and China.

While China has long been Africa’s largest trading partner, with total trade reaching $282 billion in 2023, African exports to China have been largely dominated by raw materials such as crude oil, copper, cobalt and unprocessed agricultural products.  

Meanwhile, the continent has remained a major consumer of Chinese finished goods. The result has been a persistent trade gap and a missed opportunity for African producers to scale up and add value.

By lifting tariffs, China has opened a new chapter. African farmers, manufacturers and entrepreneurs now have unprecedented access to a vast market of over 1.4 billion consumers.  

Goods such as coffee from Ethiopia, cocoa from Ghana, avocados from Kenya, textiles from Lesotho and processed cashew nuts from Côte d’Ivoire can now enter the Chinese market competitively.

This shift could inject billions of dollars into African economies, stimulate local industries and promote export diversification, a key objective in Africa’s development agendas. 

This development also complements the ambitions of the African Continental Free Trade Area, which aims to turn Africa into a single market of over 1.2 billion people.

By easing access to external markets such as China, tariff removal provides a strong incentive for African businesses to scale up production, improve standards, and become more competitive globally.

It also encourages intra-African cooperation in supply chains, quality control and logistics, further strengthening regional integration. 

What makes this move even more impactful is its inclusivity. The tariff elimination covers both least developed and middle-income African countries, a rare gesture in global trade diplomacy.

Often, preferential trade deals are limited to the poorest nations, excluding those in transition or with growing economies. China’s approach acknowledges that sustainable development must include all players. 

The benefits will likely be felt beyond economics. Job creation, especially among youth and women in agro-processing, textiles and light manufacturing, could help address some of the continent’s most pressing challenges.

With better access to external demand, rural producers and smallholder farmers will have more incentive to invest in quality, sustainability and innovation.

Over time, this could catalyse a virtuous cycle of productivity, investment and poverty reduction. 

This policy also signals a philosophical shift in China’s global engagement. Rather than relying solely on loans and infrastructure megaprojects, China is now demonstrating a commitment to building Africa’s productive capacity through trade, not aid.  

The writer is a PhD Student in international relations