• Chinese imports from Africa dropped 9.4% in Q1 2025, totaling $26.69 billion.
• The decline is attributed to fears over the impact of new protectionist measures targeting "Made in China" goods.
• Despite this, China's exports to Africa increased by 11.3%, bringing the total trade value to $72.6 billion in Q1 2025.

Chinese imports from Africa decreased by 9.4% in the first quarter of 2025, reaching $26.69 billion, according to data released by China’s General Administration of Customs on April 21. This marks a significant drop compared to the same period in 2024.

The decline is mainly due to concerns about the negative effects of protectionist measures targeting Chinese-made goods. These measures were announced by President Trump upon his return to the White House. The expectation of a sharp increase in tariffs, which was later implemented in early April, led many Chinese industrial companies to reduce their imports of African raw materials in preparation for a potential drop in orders from the United States.

While imports from Africa saw a decrease, China’s exports to the continent rose by 11.3% between January 1 and March 31, 2025, totaling $45.92 billion. As a result, the total value of trade between China and Africa increased by 2.7% year-on-year in Q1 2025, reaching $72.6 billion.

Chinese exports to Africa are mainly composed of finished products such as textiles, clothing, machinery, and electronics. On the other hand, African exports to China are primarily raw materials like crude oil, copper, cobalt, and iron ore. This imbalance in trade has made it difficult for African exports to weather the turbulence of the ongoing trade war between the two largest economic powers in the world.

In response to the trade challenges, China has implemented several measures in recent years to reduce its persistent trade surplus with Africa. These include offering zero tariffs on 100% of imports from 33 least-developed countries (LDCs) and eliminating tariffs on 98% of products imported from 21 African nations, including Ethiopia, Guinea, Mozambique, Rwanda, and Togo. However, these efforts have not been enough to counter the impacts of the global trade tensions.