China announces zero tariffs for Gambia, others

By Amadou Jadama in Beijing

The Gambia is among 53 African countries to to benefit from a zero tariffs policy announced by the People’s Republic of China, providing an unstoppable engine for quality China- Africa cooperation. Beijing described it as a golden opportunity for Africa.

The policy was announced on Tuesday at a press briefing hosted by China Public Diplomacy Association that brought together major African and Chinese media outlets for discussions on expanding China- Africa trade cooperation.

The policy took effect from May 1, 2026, to April 30, 2028, during which China and African partners will advance trade and economic negotiations.

Chinese officials said the move makes China the first major economy to extend unilateral, comprehensive zero-tariffs treatment to all African countries and all least developed countries with diplomatic relations.

The officials further postulated that the initiative embodies China’s commitment to genuine, sincere, and friendly relations with Africa and reflects its approach to balancing justice and interests, adding that it also represents a concrete step in building an all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future.

Speaking to Chinese and African journalists, the ambassador for the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Affairs at the Chinese Foreign Ministry, Liu Yuxi, said the policy fulfills a pledge made by President Xi Jinping during the 39th African Union Summit in February.  He said under the arrangement, all imports from African countries with diplomatic ties to China can now enter tariff-free, covering nearly 9,000 tariff lines.”

“This is not something that has fallen from the sky,” Liu said. “It is grounded in the traditional friendship between China and Africa.”

He noted that China first offered tariff exemptions to 25 African countries on 190 tariff lines in 2005, and has steadily expanded the coverage over the past 20 years as ties deepened into an “all-weather China-Africa community with a shared future.”

Liu added that the timing of the policy is critical amid rising unilateralism, trade barriers, and geopolitical conflict worldwide. He cited African Union Commission Chairperson Mahmoud Ali Youssouf, who called the move “timely” and expressed “sincere gratitude for this brotherly gesture.”

According to him, already, on May 1, the first shipment under the new policy—24 tons of South African apples—cleared customs in Shenzhen. Kenyan avocados, Egyptian oranges, Moroccan gypsum, and Nigerian bone meal also entered through ports in Guangzhou, Shanghai, Jingmen, and Dalian on the same day.”

Liu added that the policy creates synergy between trade and investment, linking Africa’s resources with China’s market and industrial chains. He cited coffee as an example, noting that reduced costs will help African beans reach China’s rapidly growing market while enabling cooperation across the full supply chain from farming to processing and packaging.

On the long-term partnership framework, the ambassador maintained that China will work with African partners to sign “China-Africa Economic Partnership Agreements for Shared Development” to make the zero-tariffs arrangement permanent and predictable.