China’s President, Xi Jinping, has announced that China will remove import tariffs on goods from almost all African countries starting Friday, May 1, 2026, according to Chinese state media.
The move expands a policy China already applies to imports from 33 African countries. Beijing said in 2025 that it would extend zero-tariff treatment to all 53 African countries that maintain diplomatic relations with China. Okay News reports that the new start date means tariff-free imports will apply across those partners, except the Kingdom of Eswatini, a small landlocked country in southern Africa.
Eswatini is excluded because it maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan, a self-governed island that China claims as part of its territory. China does not rule out using force to take control of Taiwan.
China is Africa’s largest trading partner and has backed major infrastructure projects across the continent, including through its “Belt and Road” initiative, a global infrastructure and investment programme. Xi said the zero-tariff deal “will undoubtedly provide new opportunities for African development”.
Xi announced the May start date as African leaders gathered in Ethiopia, an East African country, for the annual African Union (AU) summit. Many African countries have also been looking more toward China and other trade partners since United States (US) President Donald Trump imposed steep tariffs worldwide in 2025, the report said.
