China will introduce zero-tariff import regime for goods from six African countries, announced China's Customs Tariff commission.
The measure, effective from December 25, will apply to Angola, Gambia, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Madagascar, Mali, and Mauritania.
This move aims to embody "the spirit of China-African friendship and cooperation," as well as promote the creation of a high-quality China-African community of common destiny, the body stressed.
China has been the continent's largest trading partner for the past decade, with a bilateral trade volume of more than $260 billion (1.87 trillion Chinese currency yuan) in 2022, the Chinese State Council Information Office said. From January to July 2023, China-African trade experienced a 7.4% year-on-year increase, reaching approximately $158.36 billion (1.14 trillion yuan), the office noted.
In 2023, China exported ships, automobiles, and mechanical and electrical goods to Africa. Notable imports to China from the continent included crude oil, metal ore, ore sand, and agricultural products, as reported by the office.
South Africa accounted for about 19.9% of China-Africa trade in the first six months of this year, which made it China's largest trading partner on the continent. Nigeria and Angola followed as the second and third largest partners, the body said.
In early November, Chinese President Xi Jinping highlighted that the relations between China and South Africa have entered a "golden age."