China: what's happening and what it means

A truck carrying 24 tons of fresh South African apples passed through Shenzhen Bay Port in South China’s Guangdong Province at midnight on Friday, entering the Chinese market. China has emerged this Friday as one of the stories drawing attention in South Africa.

Key facts

• A truck carrying 24 tons of fresh South African apples passed through Shenzhen Bay Port in South China’s Guangdong Province at midnight on Friday, entering the Chinese market.
• This marks the first shipment to be cleared since China’s zero-tariff policy for 53 African countries with diplomatic ties took effect, signaling a new stage in China-Africa economic and trade cooperation, Xinhua News Agency reported on Friday.
• The zero-tariff regime gives China's soft power a boost, but may lead to uneven gains, say analysts.
• China will scrap tariffs for all African countries from Friday – except Eswatini, which maintains ties with Taiwan.
• As of December 2024, China had already implemented a duty-free policy for 33 least-developed African nations.

What we know

Going deeper, this marks the first shipment to be cleared since China’s zero-tariff policy for 53 African countries with diplomatic ties took effect, signaling a new stage in China-Africa economic and trade cooperation, Xinhua News Agency reported on Friday.

On the substance, the zero-tariff regime gives China's soft power a boost, but may lead to uneven gains, say analysts.

Beyond the headlines, China will scrap tariffs for all African countries from Friday – except Eswatini, which maintains ties with Taiwan.

More precisely, as of December 2024, China had already implemented a duty-free policy for 33 least-developed African nations.

It is worth noting that Last year, Africa's trade deficit with China rose by 65% to about $102bn.

By the numbers

At this stage, the landlocked nation in southern Africa is among just 12 countries that have diplomatic relations with Taiwan, which Beijing sees as a breakaway province that will eventually be "reunited" with China.

On a related note, the batch of 24 tons of South African apple passes through Shenzhen Bay Port on May 1, 2026.

Going deeper, China announced that from May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2028, zero-tariff treatment will be applied to 20...

On the substance, the policy now covers 53 countries, and will be in place until 30 April 2028.

The wider context

On a related note, But analysts say that while China is seizing the chance to enhance its soft power, they point out that tariffs are rarely the main obstacle for exporters in Africa which has a huge trade deficit with China.

Going deeper, China is positioning itself as the trade liberaliser and Africa-friendly economic partner, in contrast to Donald Trump and the US," says Lauren Johnston, a senior research fellow at the AustChina Institute.

On the substance, the expansion of China's zero-tariff regime could increase African agricultural exports, which will "help to elevate rural incomes, improve rural productivity, and ultimately to reduce hunger and poverty", Johnston says.

Beyond the headlines, But Sino-African trade is marked by a growing imbalance in China's favour, which means Chinese exports to Africa far exceed African exports to China, and that difference is widening.

More precisely, Africa's exports to China are dominated by minerals and raw materials, such as crude oil and metallic ores.

The bottom line

• This marks the first shipment to be cleared since China’s zero-tariff policy for 53 African countries with diplomatic ties took effect, signaling a new stage in China-Africa economic and trade cooperation, Xinhua News Agency reported on Friday.
• The zero-tariff regime gives China's soft power a boost, but may lead to uneven gains, say analysts.
• As of December 2024, China had already implemented a duty-free policy for 33 least-developed African nations.
• Searches spiking right now: China scraps tariffs for all but one African nation, 24 tons of South African apples enter China as 1st shipment under new zero-tariff policy for 53 African nations, View / China’s soft power play in Africa, The opportunities of China's zero-tariff treatment to Africa.