Overview
- China’s policy took effect Friday, granting duty-free entry to goods from all African nations that recognize Beijing, with Eswatini excluded, through April 30, 2028.
- Early shipments cleared the new rules Friday as 24 tonnes of South African apples entered Shenzhen and more than 6,000 bottles of South African wine passed customs in Changsha.
- The move expands a 2024 program for 33 least‑developed African countries by adding 20 more diplomatic partners to full zero-tariff treatment.
- The zero rate applies only to volumes within tariff‑rate quotas, and exporters must meet rules of origin and submit certificates at customs, which analysts say could blunt quick gains.
- China says it will use the two-year window to negotiate China–Africa economic partnership deals, with the exclusion of Eswatini underscoring Beijing’s One China policy.