The sweeping elimination of tariffs is expected to significantly lower the cost barriers for African goods entering the Chinese market and enhance their overall price competitiveness, thus allowing African exporters to more effectively leverage the vast opportunities of the Chinese consumer market, experts said. In particular, the two sides have agreed to expand market access for African agricultural products, and deepen collaboration in e-commerce. China's imports of agricultural items from Africa have seen a sustained increase, with the value of such imports rising for the seventh consecutive year, Customs data show. This growth rate outpaced the overall increase in China's agricultural imports, according to the General Administration of Customs. The rapid growth of cross-border e-commerce platforms is opening up new sales channels for African agricultural products seeking to enter the Chinese market, Ye said.

Source: The North Africa Journal October 21, 2024 06:05 UTC