by Ntandoyenkosi Ncube

JOHANNESBURG, April 20 (Xinhua) -- China's decision to grant zero-tariff treatment to products from African countries that maintain diplomatic relations with it removes a major obstacle for African exporters seeking access to the Chinese market and could reshape trade dynamics between the two sides, a South African researcher has said.

"It offers an opportunity for market diversification," Cobus van Staden, a senior researcher at the South African Institute of International Affairs, told Xinhua in a recent interview.

The initiative is expected to facilitate African exporters' entry into the Chinese market, he said, adding that "it will help exporters diversify their markets and hopefully gain access to a large group of new customers."

At the same time, van Staden said that tariff removal alone does not guarantee success, and success will depend on exporters' ability to understand Chinese consumer preferences and tailor products accordingly.

According to data released by China's General Administration of Customs, China-Africa trade reached 348 billion U.S. dollars in 2025, up 17.7 percent year on year and hitting a new record high. Of this total, China's imports from Africa amounted to 123 billion dollars, an increase of 5.4 percent year on year.

Beyond improving market access, the policy could open new opportunities for African industries and businesses, the researcher said, highlighting the potential for greater value addition.

The initiative aligns with Africa's broader push toward industrialization and value-added production, he said, but stressed that its benefits will depend largely on domestic readiness, including infrastructure capacity and policy coordination.

"It will depend on whether they have the logistical infrastructure in place and whether their industrial policies support export-driven diversification," he added.

While the effectiveness of the zero-tariff framework is likely to vary across countries, van Staden expressed optimism that the policy could inject fresh momentum into Africa-China economic cooperation, particularly if accompanied by improvements in standards compliance, logistics and industrial capacity across the continent.

"It could help African industrialization if these countries manage to gain full market approval in China," he said. ■