• China-Africa trade rose 12.4 % to $134.16 billion between January and May 2025

• China’s exports to Africa climbed 20.2 %, African exports rose 1.6 %

• Beijing plans more tariff cuts to ease trade imbalance with the continent

Trade between China and Africa reached $134.16 billion in the first five months of 2025, up 12.4 % compared to the same period last year. The figures were announced by China’s ambassador to Ghana, Tong Defa, on June 19 during a press briefing in Accra.

Tong said the amount marks a record for the five-month period and confirms China’s position as Africa’s top trading partner for sixteen straight years.

China’s ambassador to Ghana, Tong Defa

Data from China’s General Administration of Customs shows Chinese exports to Africa jumped 20.2 % to $83.51 billion between January 1 and May 31, 2025. Imports from Africa totaled $50.65 billion, a 1.6 % increase from the same period in 2024.

Africa’s trade deficit with China widened to $32.86 billion, as falling commodity prices continued to affect the continent’s export revenues.

China mainly exports finished goods to Africa, such as textiles, machinery, and electronics. In contrast, African exports to China are dominated by raw materials like crude oil, copper, cobalt, and iron ore, leading to a long-standing trade surplus in China’s favor.

In recent years, China has taken steps to reduce this imbalance. It has scrapped tariffs on 98 % of products imported from 21 African countries, including Ethiopia, Guinea, Mozambique, Rwanda, and Togo.

Since December 1, 2024, Beijing has applied zero tariffs on 100 % of imports from the world’s least developed countries with diplomatic ties to China, a group that includes 33 African nations.

China has also announced plans to scrap tariffs on imports from all African countries with diplomatic relations, aiming to boost trade with the continent. The measure is expected to be included in a future economic agreement, though no start date has been set.