Strengthening China-Africa cooperation

China has introduced zero-tariff treatment for products imported from thirty-three least-developed countries, including Madagascar, to boost trade relations.

China recently announced the implementation of zero-tariff treatment on 100% of products from its least developed country partners. This policy applies to thirty-three African nations, including Madagascar, and was unveiled by President Xi Jinping during the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC). As a result, all products from these African countries entering China’s vast market will now be exempt from customs duties.

China is Africa’s largest bilateral trade partner. In 2023, trade between China and Africa reached 167.8 billion USD, with China importing 109 billion USD worth of African goods, including finished products and raw materials.

However, these figures fall short of the ambitious targets set at the FOCAC meeting in Dakar in 2021, where China aimed to raise its imports from Africa to 300 billion USD. The trade deficit between African countries and China remains significant, partly due to a global drop in commodity prices.

To address this gap, China is implementing measures to foster sustainable trade growth. It plans to leverage its vast domestic market to create more opportunities for African nations. These efforts include facilitating the entry of African agricultural products, enhancing cooperation in e-commerce, and launching a China-Africa initiative to improve product quality.