Visitors try Ethiopian coffee during an expo in Shanghai. MENG CHENGUANG/XINHUA
China's zero-tariff policy for 53 African diplomatic partners took effect on May 1, boosting coffee imports via Shanghai, China's key port, and benefiting numerous African coffee farmers.
The Hongqiao International Coffee Industry Chain Ecosystem Conference was held in Shanghai from Tuesday to Wednesday. Its roundtable discussions centered on zero-tariff advantages and new China-Africa trade opportunities, as the previous minimum 8 percent tariff on African coffee beans has been abolished.
Su Lin, vice-president of the Shanghai People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries, said at the conference that China is the world's first major economy to roll out full unilateral zero-tariff preferences for African diplomatic partners and least developed countries.
Mo Haowen of Xinzhuang Customs in Shanghai said China's coffee market has expanded rapidly in a decade. Imports surged from 59,100 metric tons in 2015 to 213,300 tons in 2024, while annual per capita coffee consumption rose from 42 grams to 151 grams.
