China ready to drop all tariffs on African imports

One head and shoulders shot of President Xi

Wia dis foto come from, AFP via Getty Images

Wetin we call dis foto, China na Africa primary trading partner for di past 15 years
    • Author, Damian Zane
    • Role, BBC News
  • Read am in 3 mins

China say dem don ready to drop di tariffs dem dey charge on imports from all 53 African kontris wey dem get diplomatic relations wit.

Di move wey dem announce for one China-Africa co-operation meeting, dey come as di continent dey face di possibility of increased tariffs on dia products wey dey enta US.

China na Africa largest trading partner – one position dem don hold for di last 15 years – as Africa dey export goods wey worth around $170bn (£125bn) go di Asian nation for 2023.

One joint ministerial statement bin criticise "certain kontris' [effort to] scata di existing international economic and trade order" through di unilateral imposition of tariffs.

China ask US to resolve trade disputes on di basis of "equality, respect and mutual benefit".

Di zero-tariff move, wen dem implement am, go be extension of one deal dem make last year for China to drop tariffs on goods from 33 African nations wey dey classified as "least developed".

Di expanded list go include some of China largest trading partners on di continent, wey include South Africa and Nigeria. China neva tok wen di go come into effect.

Eswatini na di only African state dem exclude from di zero-tariff announcement as dem recognise Taiwan as independent kontri, whereas China see am as breakaway province.

China currently dey import plenty raw materials from Africa, most especially from di Democratic Republic of Congo and Guinea.

For April, President Donald Trump bin raise concern among US trading partners wen e announce high tariffs on dia imports from many kontris, wey include 50% rate for Lesotho, 30% for South Africa and 14% for Nigeria.

Di US bin pause di implementation until next month, although di temporary pause fit dey extended further for countries wey dey negotiate "in good faith", according to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

For 2024, di US import $39.5bn-worth of goods from Africa. Dem carry out di importation under di zero-tariff deal wey dey known as di Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (Agoa), wey now look like say dey under threat if Trump administration go ahead wit di imposition of fresh charges.