On 14 February 2026, President Xi Jinping announced that China will implement the zero-tariff treatment for African countries with which it shares formal diplomatic relations.
Many African countries, including South Africa, may be feeling the pinch from the 10% tariff on goods exported to the USA.
However, the zero-tariff policy, which kicked in on the 1st of May 2026, could be a game changer, offering African countries an opportunity to further diversify their trade partners and commodities in international trade as they broaden and deepen access into the world’s largest trading market.
The Trump administration-imposed tariffs on goods exported to the USA from many trading partners, including African countries whose economies face many structural hurdles.
The tariffs, as high as 30% for some goods and countries, were lowered to 10% after the US Supreme Court struck down many of President Donald Trump’s previous duties. South Africa potentially faced up to a 31% tariff increase on its exports to the USA.
