Thierry Pairault posted a working paper on 30 March 2026 titled "Tarif zero: Bruxelles face a Pekin."
Beginning on 1 May 2026, China will implement a zero-tariff policy for African countries. Pairault argues that in the few sectors where the zero tariff could theoretically encourage African exports of processed or manufactured goods to China, Beijing has little interest in allowing them to develop as they would compete with actively protected industries. He then demonstrates that the import structures of the European Union and China shed light on this asymmetry.
