Starting today, China has fully implemented a zero-tariff policy for 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic relations. In a recent interview, a senior official from the General Administration of Customs provided a detailed explanation of the implementation process and specific arrangements. Guo Xueyan, Director of the Department of International Cooperation at the General Administration of Customs, stated that to support the zero-tariff initiative, relevant rules of origin have been established, clarifying the criteria for determining originating goods and the procedures for benefiting from preferential treatment, thereby facilitating the export of eligible products from African nations to China.
Customs authorities have developed and launched an online system for issuing certificates of origin to African countries with diplomatic ties. Electronic information from certificates issued through this system is transmitted in real-time to China's customs clearance system, allowing importing companies to be exempt from submitting physical certificates of origin during declaration. Additionally, a dedicated section for the zero-tariff policy has been added to the "China Customs Origin Service Platform."
Considering the varying risks of spreading animal and plant epidemics across different product categories, customs authorities have upgraded the "green channel" for agricultural imports, implementing a risk-based classification system for relevant products entering China. Guo Xueyan explained that for low-risk products, consolidated risk assessments will be conducted to establish unified inspection and quarantine requirements, which will be announced via public notices. For instance, this Monday, quarantine and hygiene requirements for dried chili peppers exported from African countries to China were announced, allowing eligible dried chili peppers from African nations to be exported to China starting May 1.
For medium- and high-risk products, quarantine access procedures have been optimized, with priority given to evaluating export application materials from African countries. Products with similar risk levels will undergo consolidated assessments, and remote evaluations will be utilized more frequently to accelerate the process and reduce cost burdens. These measures aim to promote the entry of more high-quality, safe African agricultural products into the Chinese market while ensuring safety.
Customs officials emphasized that nationwide customs will implement a series of trade facilitation measures to enhance cooperation and capacity building with the 53 African countries, further speeding up the process of African products entering China. Guo Xueyan noted that 18 African countries have established an Authorized Economic Operator system, and China Customs has mutual recognition agreements with 15 of them. Under these agreements, AEO-certified enterprises from both sides can enjoy customs facilitation benefits, such as priority processing and reduced inspection rates.
This year, the General Administration of Customs will organize 14 training programs for African partners to help them better understand Chinese customs policies and procedures. African countries are encouraged to register through Chinese embassies in their respective nations.
According to Chinese customs statistics, bilateral trade between China and the 53 African countries reached a record high of over $348 billion in 2025. In the first quarter of 2026, trade volume totaled $92.16 billion, a year-on-year increase of 26.8%. Guo Xueyan described the zero-tariff policy as a significant milestone in the upgrading of China-Africa economic and trade cooperation. She emphasized that tariff reductions will enhance the competitiveness of African products in the Chinese market, stimulate production expansion in African countries, and gradually promote industrial transformation and upgrading. She expressed hope that African nations would use this opportunity to deepen industrial cooperation with China, leveraging the vast opportunities presented by the Chinese market to foster healthy economic and trade relations and bring greater benefits to both sides.
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