The batch of 24 tons of South African apple passes through Shenzhen Bay Port on May 1, 2026.

A truck carrying 24 tons of fresh South African apples passed through Shenzhen Bay Port in South China's Guangdong Province at midnight on Friday, entering the Chinese market. This marks the first shipment to be cleared since China's zero-tariff policy for 53 African countries with diplomatic ties took effect, signaling a new stage in China-Africa economic and trade cooperation, Xinhua News Agency reported on Friday.

With the preferential policy in place, the 10 percent tariff on South African apples has been fully exempted. This batch is expected to save about 20,000 yuan ($2,929) in tariffs and will be quickly distributed to major wholesale markets and supermarkets across the country, Luo said Shengcong, head of the import agency for the shipment, calling it a tangible benefit, Xinhua reported. 

From May 1, 2026, to April 30, 2028, China will apply zero-tariff treatment to 20 African countries that have diplomatic relations with China and are not classified as least developed countries (LDCs), according to an announcement by the Customs Tariff Commission of the State Council on Tuesday.

For products subject to tariff-rate quotas, only in-quota tariff rates will be reduced to zero, while out-of-quota rates will remain unchanged, the announcement said. 

During the two-year implementation period, China will continue to promote the signing of economic partnership agreements for shared development with relevant African countries, according to the statement. 

The new policy also marks a further expansion of the existing tariff arrangement. For the 33 African LDCs that have diplomatic relations with China, China has granted zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent of tariff lines since December 1, 2024, Xinhua said. 

As an important milestone in upgrading China-Africa economic and trade cooperation, the zero-tariff policy injects strong momentum into bilateral ties. According to the General Administration of Customs (GAC), total trade between China and the 53 African countries with diplomatic relations reached $348.08 billion in 2025, a record high, according to Xinhua. 

In the first quarter of 2026, this figure stood at $92.16 billion, up 26.8 percent year-on-year, nearly 9 percentage points higher than China's overall foreign trade growth rate. Data from countries already benefiting from zero tariffs show that China's imports from the 33 least-developed African countries have grown faster than the overall average.

The year 2026 marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and African countries. Guo Xueyan, an official from the GAC, said that amid rising global trade protectionism, the upgrading of China's zero-tariff policy toward African countries with diplomatic ties reflects a genuine commitment to multilateralism, Xinhua reported. 

Looking ahead, African countries are expected to seize this opportunity to deepen industrial alignment with China, leverage China's vast market to share development opportunities, promote a shift from raw material exports to higher value-added manufacturing, and support the steady development of China-Africa economic and trade cooperation for the benefit of both sides, according to Xinhua. 

Global Times