Beijing proposes zero-tariff access for 53 African countries with diplomatic ties

Addis Ababa, June 11, 2025 (FMC) — Chinese President Xi Jinping has announced China’s readiness to negotiate and sign a China-Africa Economic Partnership for Shared Development that would grant zero-tariff treatment for all tariff lines to 53 African countries maintaining diplomatic relations with Beijing.

The proposal was shared in a congratulatory letter to the Ministerial Meeting of Coordinators on the Implementation of FOCAC Follow-up Actions, held in Changsha, China. Xi said the initiative aims to facilitate greater market access for African exports, especially from least developed countries, and inject new momentum into China-Africa economic ties.

Highlighting the 25-year legacy of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), Xi said the platform has become a model for Global South solidarity and has entered a new phase since the 2023 Beijing Summit, where leaders agreed on a six-point modernization plan and 10 partnership actions.

Xi also welcomed the consensus to make 2026 the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges, and reaffirmed China’s commitment to cooperation in green development, digital trade, AI, security, and finance.

In a separate letter, Republic of the Congo President Denis Sassou Nguesso, co-chair of FOCAC, praised the progress of strategic cooperation with China and pledged to deepen joint efforts. He voiced support for working with Beijing and other Global South nations to build a multipolar world free from unilateralism and protectionism.

Both leaders underscored the shared goal of building an all-weather China-Africa community and contributing to global peace and development.