China Announces New Measures to Expand Opening Up and Cooperation with Africa

Strategic Insights -

China has announced new measures to further expand its opening up and cooperation with Africa, including implementing zero-tariff treatment for 100% of tariff items originating in the 53 African countries that have diplomatic relations with China.

These measures were announced during the Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Coordinators, held in Changsha, China, on June 11, 2025. The conference was attended by over 100 ministerial officials from FOCAC member states, representatives of the African Union Commission, and envoys from African countries to China.

The conference reviewed the fruitful achievements of China-Africa cooperation over the past 25 years, during which China has achieved full coverage of strategic partnership with all 53 African countries that have diplomatic relations, and China has been Africa's largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years. Last September, the FOCAC Beijing Summit was held, opening a new journey for China and Africa to jointly build a high-level community of destiny in the new era.

China's new investment in Africa has exceeded 13.3 billion yuan, and the total amount of various types of financial support to Africa has exceeded 150 billion yuan. In the first five months of this year, China-Africa trade reached 963 billion yuan, a year-on-year increase of 12.4%, hitting a record high for the same period.

Key Takeaways:

  • China has announced new measures to further expand its opening up and cooperation with Africa, including implementing zero-tariff treatment for 100% of tariff items originating in the 53 African countries that have diplomatic relations with China.
  • China has achieved full coverage of strategic partnership with all 53 African countries that have diplomatic relations, and China has been Africa's largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years.
  • China's new investment in Africa has exceeded 13.3 billion yuan, and the total amount of various types of financial support to Africa has exceeded 150 billion yuan.
  • China and Africa have anchored the summit consensus and actively implemented the "Ten Partnership Programs," achieving new and gratifying progress.
  • The Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation Coordinators held last week set a new milestone for the China-Lesotho strategic partnership.
  • Lesotho's Minister of Foreign Affairs Lejone reiterated that Lesotho will continue to firmly support China on bilateral and multilateral occasions, and looks forward to further strengthening cooperation in key areas such as agriculture and energy.

Statistics:

  • Total amount of various types of financial support to Africa exceeded 150 billion yuan.
  • China's new investment in Africa exceeded 13.3 billion yuan.
  • China-Africa trade reached 963 billion yuan in the first five months of this year, a year-on-year increase of 12.4%.
  • China has been Africa's largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years.
  • 53 African countries have diplomatic relations with China.

Sources:

  • Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China
  • Lesotho Times
  • People's Daily
  • China International Development Cooperation Agency