China will begin removing tariffs on imports from nearly all African countries from May 1, according to President Xi Jinping.
The announcement was made on Saturday and reported by Chinese state media.
Beijing had already granted zero-tariff access to goods from 33 African nations.
Last year, the Chinese government said it planned to extend the same treatment to all 53 African countries that maintain diplomatic ties with China.
With the new move, every African country except Eswatini will benefit from the policy.
Eswatini is excluded because it has diplomatic relations with Taiwan, which China claims as part of its territory.
Beijing considers Taiwan a breakaway region and has not ruled out using force to take control of it.
China remains Africa’s biggest trading partner and has invested heavily in infrastructure projects across the continent.
Many of these projects are linked to China’s global development plan known as the Belt and Road Initiative, which funds roads, railways, ports, and other major works.
The zero-tariff decision comes at a time when several African countries are strengthening trade ties with China and other partners.
This follows new trade measures introduced last year by former United States President Donald Trump, who imposed high tariffs on goods from many countries around the world.
Xi said the removal of tariffs would create fresh opportunities for growth and development across Africa.
He revealed that the policy will officially take effect on May 1.
The announcement was made as African leaders gathered in Ethiopia for the yearly summit of the African Union, where discussions focused on development, trade, and cooperation among member states.
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