China to grant zero-tariff treatment to all African nations from 1 May 2026

China will remove tariffs on all products from every African country that recognises Beijing, starting this Friday. The move, announced on 28 April, completes a phase in that began in late 2024.

Since 1 December 2024, China had already granted zero tariff treatment on 100% of tariff lines to 33 African nations classified as least developed countries. From 1 May 2026, the remaining 20 African countries with diplomatic ties – those not in the least developed category – will also receive zero tariff access, though initially for a two year period ending 30 April 2028.

During that window, for products subject to tariff quotas, only in quota rates will fall to zero; out of quota rates stay unchanged. Beijing says it will use the two years to push forward negotiations on a broader China-Africa Economic Partnership for Shared Development agreement with the countries concerned.

The policy was announced jointly by the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council and the Ministry of Commerce. According to the Commerce Ministry, China is now the first major economy to offer unilateral, full coverage duty free treatment to every African country with which it has diplomatic relations – and to all least developed countries with diplomatic ties globally.

The arrangement is presented as a practical step in market opening, not as a trade deal. It lowers the cost of African exports to China – agricultural goods, raw materials, light manufactures – while giving Chinese buyers wider supply options. For African exporters, the benefit is straightforward: their products now enter the world’s second largest market without tariff barriers.

Beijing says it intends to negotiate formal partnership agreements with individual African countries during the two year window. If successful, those agreements would replace the temporary zero tariff measure with a more permanent, treaty based framework. Until then, the tariff free access stands as an unilateral gesture – one that costs China little in revenue but offers African exporters tangible margin relief.

The timing, just ahead of the 1 May Labour Day holiday, is deliberate. From Friday, African shipments cleared through Chinese customs will face no duty, regardless of whether the exporting country is a least developed nation or not.