The Conversation published on 12 March 2026 a commentary titled "China's New Tariff-free Regime for Africa: The Potential Upside and Downside" by Lauren Johnston, University of Sydney.
When China's zero-tariff policy for Africa kicks in on 1 May, the author suggests there will be two major likely outcomes. On the positive side, zero tariffs could provide incentives for cross-country export cooperation within Africa. On the negative, it risks creating conditions in which Africa's strong economies such as South Africa, Morocco, and Kenya capture the most gain at the expense of weaker economies.
