Rabat / Anadolu

Sun Meijun, head of the General Administration of Customs of China, said that her country has eliminated customs duties on imports from 63 countries, including 53 African countries.

This step is part of China's strategy to expand its trade partnerships with developing countries, especially African ones.

This came during a press conference, some details of which were reported by the Chinese news agency Xinhua on Thursday.

Sun added that China 'has now granted 63 countries full exemption from customs duties, as part of its efforts to continue expanding the scope of high-level opening-up.'

Sun noted that the customs authority will continue to work on diversifying markets between 2026 and 2030.

She added that the customs authority 'will move forward with implementing opening-up measures and high-level trade agreements, and will work to enhance compatibility in customs procedures, quarantine measures, and rules of origin.'

China had started applying an expanded customs exemption in May on imports from all 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic relations.

Sun explained that the General Administration of Customs 'has taken measures to facilitate the implementation of this policy, including risk assessment-based customs management, integrated procedures for market access, and expanding green channels dedicated to agricultural and food products.'

Official data showed that trade volume between China and Africa grew by 19.6 percent year-on-year in the first half of 2026.

This decision comes as part of China's efforts to strengthen its economic influence in Africa and compete with Western influence, while African countries seek to diversify their markets.

On February 14, Chinese television reported that Beijing will also continue to push for negotiation and signing of economic partnership agreements, and will expand opportunities for African exports to access China through updated mechanisms.

Official data shows that trade volume between China and Africa grew by 19.6 percent in the first half of 2026, reflecting deepening economic relations. The decision aims to balance Western influence on the continent, while African countries aim to increase their exports and diversify their trading partners. China is expected to continue implementing opening-up measures and signing economic partnership agreements between 2026 and 2030, according to the Chinese official's statements.