# China waives tariffs on African trade with no political terms *The Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the policy on Oct. 30, reinforcing Beijing's unilateral zero-duty access for 53 nations as refiners deepen supply ties for cobalt and lithium.* **Published:** October 31, 2026 **By:** Hao Feng **Section:** Trade & Industrial Policy — China **Format:** Policy Tracker **Confidence:** high **Source:** https://eastasiabrief.com/trade-policy/china-waives-tariffs-african-trade-no-political-terms-1022 **Publisher:** East Asia Brief (https://eastasiabrief.com/) --- ## What to know - China confirmed zero political conditions on its African zero-tariff policy on Oct. 30 - Mineral ores and petroleum make up 90% of African cargo bound for Chinese smelters - Temporary duty-free status for 20 non-LDC African nations runs until April 30, 2028 ![Port workers sort cargo crates along conveyor belts near large container ships docked at an active shipping terminal. (AI-generated image)](https://eastasiabrief.com/media/2026-10-30-cbed53285135.webp) *Port workers sort cargo crates along conveyor belts near large container ships docked at an active shipping terminal. (AI-generated image)* China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs said Oct. 30 that its zero-tariff trade preference for 53 African nations carries no political preconditions and requires no reciprocal concessions from trading partners. Shen Sha, a counselor in the ministry's Department of African Affairs, announced the position during the 10th China-Africa Youth Festival in Beijing. The stance confirms that market access remains unlinked to governance mandates. The measure covers roughly 90% of African exports to China by value, a volume heavily dominated by crude petroleum and unprocessed critical mineral ores. Bilateral trade with South Africa alone rose 24% to $15 billion between May and August. The trade channel provides uninterrupted feedstocks for Chinese clean-energy manufacturers. Unilateral tariff relief eliminates customs friction on key inputs while Western jurisdictions impose stricter environmental and human-rights compliance rules. Beijing's duty-free system operates across two distinct legal tiers. The State Council Customs Tariff Commission initially eliminated all duties on 100% of tariff lines for 33 least developed African countries on Dec. 1, 2024. The State Council expanded that coverage May 1, adding 20 non-least-developed economies under a temporary preferential tariff schedule. That expansion brought nations such as South Africa, Nigeria, Egypt and Kenya into the program. Eswatini remains the only African country excluded from the zero-tariff framework. The country maintains formal diplomatic ties with Taiwan, which disqualifies it under Beijing's diplomatic criteria. The preferential treatment applies to all regular tariff lines, while 47 tariff-rate quota categories receive zero duties strictly within designated quotas. Out-of-quota imports remain subject to standard statutory rates. Major domestic battery materials producers depend directly on these African sea lanes. Unrestricted customs clearance prevents raw material bottlenecks as Chinese companies expand cathode and refining operations domestically. Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd. draws roughly 30% of its offshore battery-grade lithium and cathode precursors through central African trade routes. Duty waivers insulate the cell maker from unexpected import cost spikes. CMOC Group Ltd. ships more than 80% of its copper and cobalt output from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Chinese ports. The zero-tariff structure guarantees stable processing margins for those raw concentrates. Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt Co. procures more than 40% of its intermediate cobalt hydroxide from African mining assets. The tariff exemption shields Huayou from portside administrative fees, keeping Chinese precursor chemical pricing competitive against foreign refiners. Western programs like the United States African Growth and Opportunity Act demand annual human rights and market reform reviews. Chinese officials contrast their model by explicitly disclaiming governance reviews and inspection conditionalities. The arrangement encourages African mining hubs to route commercial transactions through Chinese clearing networks. Trading partners increasingly settle dry-bulk cargoes using the Cross-Border Interbank Payment System rather than dollar channels. Lowering border hurdles on raw cargo also discourages African resource holders from introducing domestic ore-export bans. Beijing offers full access for agricultural goods to preserve access to mining concessions. South African fruit exporters cleared 25,975 certificates of origin for Chinese ports between June and August. In exchange, Chinese state and private smelters have consolidated their presence across regional copper and lithium belts. The temporary tariff preference covering the 20 non-least-developed African nations runs until April 30, 2028. Chinese trade negotiators plan to spend the remaining months negotiating permanent Economic Partnership Agreements for Shared Development. South Korea, Japan and European industrial consumers face rising supply concentration in African critical minerals as a result. Smelters in East Asia must compete against Chinese buyers who pay zero customs duties on unrefined ores. The ministry has not published a formal circular specifying whether local mineral value-addition rules will alter future duty exemptions. Customs authorities have also withheld processed mineral threshold lists for post-2028 trade compacts. Chinese customs stations in Shenzhen and Shanghai continue to process incoming African shipments under the May 1 circular. The preferential rules remain locked through the 2028 calendar review. ## Impact map | Event | Korea | China | Japan | Global impact | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | African zero-tariff extension | LG Energy Solution and POSCO face tighter African raw lithium and cobalt supply as ore flows lock to China | CMOC Group and Huayou Cobalt protect feedstock margins with zero import duties on central African ores | Trading houses face higher procurement premiums for Democratic Republic of the Congo cobalt and lithium | EV battery supply chains see Chinese refiners consolidate unrefined critical mineral feedstock access | ## In this story - **Companies:** Contemporary Amperex Technology, CMOC Group, Zhejiang Huayou Cobalt - **Tickers:** 300750.SZ, 603993.SS, 603799.SS - **Policy:** Tariffs - **Impact:** Supply Chain, Cost Structure, Compliance ## Primary sources 1. kiep.go.kr 2. shanghai.gov.cn 3. kdi.re.kr 4. www.gov.cn 5. jacarandafm.com --- Cite as: East Asia Brief, "China waives tariffs on African trade with no political terms," October 31, 2026. https://eastasiabrief.com/trade-policy/china-waives-tariffs-african-trade-no-political-terms-1022