African media, policy experts hails China's zero-tariff policy for African countries

On Feb. 14, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to the 39th African Union Summit and announced that China will fully implement zero-tariff treatment for 53 African countries that have established diplomatic relations with China, starting from May 1, 2026.

The announcement has been met with widespread enthusiasm across the continent, especially among policy analysts, think tank experts, and media organizations.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres commended China's decision to grant zero-tariff treatment to Africa, urging all developed countries and economically powerful nations to adopt similar measures.

"I would appeal to all developed countries and to all countries with large economic potential to take exactly the same measures and to help Africa with its need for its goods," Guterres said in an interview on the sidelines of the AU summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

Economists, policy experts, and trade analysts also view the move as strategically important in light of shifting global trade dynamics.

Charles Onunaiju, director of the Center for China Studies in Nigeria, described China's zero-tariff access for African exports as a "game-changer" for Nigeria, saying it offers a rare and practical opportunity to transform the country's economy.

"Nigeria must seize China's zero-tariff access for African exports as a 'low-hanging fruit' capable of transforming its economy and addressing insecurity," he said in an interview with ARISE News.

Onunaiju noted that China's vast market of 1.4 billion people gives Nigeria unprecedented export potential, arguing that even a small share could deliver outsized gains. "If we can secure just one percent of China's market, that would be considerably game-changing, especially in terms of economic diversification," he said.

Onunaiju also highlighted China's broader economic shift, describing it as a key source of new opportunities for Africa. "China is making a very impressive transition from what it used to be—the workshop of the world—into the market of the world," he said, adding that this transition creates fresh space for Nigerian businesses to integrate into global trade.

In an interview with Xinhua, Zambian social economist Kelvin Chisanga welcomed the policy, stating that Africa's rich natural resources and agricultural potential could lead to increased exports to China under the tariff-free agreement, sparking new growth for industrial development across the continent.

"With this tariff relief, Africa is better positioned to participate more fully in the global market. That will serve as a gateway for scaling up production," he said.

Sizo Nkala, a researcher at the University of Johannesburg's Centre for Africa-China Studies, described the agreement as "timely," emphasizing that it offers South Africa a chance to mitigate external economic challenges and broaden its trade relationships.

"It underscores China's commitment to a rules-based and open global economic system as espoused in its 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030)," Nkala said, adding that the framework marks a progressive step in strengthening South-South cooperation and enhancing resilience among developing economies.

The Nation Online, a Malawian-based newspaper, reported that China's decision is expected to significantly widen Malawi's export market. Analysts and government officials said the move could help stabilize prices, boost export revenues, and improve Malawi's access to China's vast consumer market, particularly for agricultural products such as groundnuts, soya beans and macadamia nuts, while supporting trade diversification amid evolving global trade dynamics involving the United States and the European Union.

David Monyae, director of the Centre for Africa–China Studies at the University of Johannesburg, said in an article published in The African, a South African newspaper, that China's zero-tariff policy could be a game-changer for China-Africa trade, as it opens China's vast market to African exports at a time of growing global uncertainty.

"China and Africa are building stronger trade ties at a time when the world needs real partnerships more than ever. As multilateralism seems to falter amid weakening global institutions and a wider North-South divide, China is pursuing common development by working together with countries in the Global South," Monyae said.