China scraps tariffs for all but one African nation

China has announced it will reduce to zero its import tariffs on goods from every African country with which it has diplomatic relations. The only country excluded from the zero-tariff regime is Eswatini, which Beijing does not recognise because it maintains diplomatic ties with Taiwan.

The decision aims to consolidate Beijing's growing economic clout in Africa as Western development banks have scaled back lending. Analysts expect the largest gains to flow to agricultural exporters such as Ethiopia, Kenya and Ghana, while more industrial economies like South Africa may capture comparatively less benefit from the move.

The United States and the European Union have begun reviewing their own preferential trade arrangements with the continent. The White House is preparing to push Congress to reauthorise the AGOA programme, while the EU is drafting fresh proposals to broaden market access under the Economic Partnership Agreements framework.