China's recent decision to extend zero-tariff treatment to all 53 African countries with diplomatic ties is more than a policy adjustment-it's a long-overdue correction in one of Africa's most significant trade relationships. Until now, China's trade preferences were granted only to least developed countries LDCs, leaving over 20 African nations on the sidelines. This move marks the end of that fragmentation and a shift toward a more coherent, inclusive, and strategic economic partnership.
It's a moment to celebrate - but also a moment to act.
A common but outdated approachChina, until now, followed a precedent set by the European Union, India, and other emerging economies: offering preferential trade only to LDCs. While this approach aligned with WTO norms like the EU's "Everything But Arms" scheme, it failed to reflect Africa's current realities. Africa is home to countries like Kenya, Nigeria, Ghana, and Morocco - economically dynamic but not LDCs - left out of preferential access despite their pivotal roles in regional trade.
At Development Reimagined, we've highlighted this issue for years. In 2021, we analysed how the LDC-only approach contradicted the new African Continental Free Trade Area AfCFTA . Our 2023 FOCAC Trade Brief called for structural reform, urging a more unified, continent-wide approach. In Beijing, we convened AU and Chinese stakeholders to examine trade frameworks like AGOA, the EPAs, and BRICS - highlighting that Africa needs stable, transformative trade terms, not scattered, inconsistent access.
Now, Beijing has responded. China's new policy recognises that Africa is more than a collection of low-income countries - it is a continent with a shared economic vision. It aligns China's trade framework more closely with Africa's priorities.