A Nigerian shipment of 252 metric tons of palm kernel shell activated carbon becomes the first cargo to enter the Hainan Free Trade Port under China’s newly expanded zero-tariff policy for African imports.
Haikou Customs confirmed on Wednesday that the consignment was the first to receive duty-free treatment since the new trade measure took effect on May 1, 2026.
The policy extends tariff-free access to goods imported from all 53 African countries that maintain diplomatic relations with China. The initiative is expected to strengthen trade between China and Africa by improving market access for African products, supporting industrial development and helping exporters navigate an increasingly protectionist global trading environment.
The expanded arrangement broadens China’s preferential market access for African exports. While 33 African countries classified as least developed nations have enjoyed duty-free treatment on all tariff lines since December 2024, the latest policy now covers the remaining 20 African countries through a preferential tariff scheme that will remain in force for an initial two-year period.
Chinese officials said the temporary arrangement is intended to facilitate negotiations on the proposed China-Africa Economic Partnership for Shared Development agreement. Once finalized, the agreement is expected to establish permanent institutional backing for the zero-tariff framework.
According to China’s Ministry of Commerce, the policy is designed not only to increase imports from Africa but also to stimulate greater investment in the continent’s manufacturing sector. By encouraging the flow of capital, modern technology, production equipment and management expertise, the initiative aims to expand local processing of African raw materials and increase the export of value-added products.
Officials believe the approach will contribute to a more balanced and sustainable trading relationship while creating new opportunities for African economies to move further up global value chains.
The development comes as economic ties between China and Africa continue to deepen. Data from China’s General Administration of Customs show that two-way trade reached an all-time high of 348 billion U.S. dollars in 2025. During the same period, Chinese imports from African countries rose by 5.4 percent year-on-year to 123 billion U.S. dollars, reflecting sustained growth in commercial exchanges between both sides.
The successful entry of the Nigerian shipment into the Hainan Free Trade Port is expected to encourage more African exporters to take advantage of the expanded duty-free access, opening new opportunities for trade, investment and industrial cooperation.
