Policy deepens China-African agricultural partnerships. Starting at the end of 2024, China will grant zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent of tariff lines to all least developed countries with which it has diplomatic relations, becoming the first major developing country and the first major economy to take such a measure, Xinhua reported.

　　Ethiopian coffee exports to China have surged at an annual rate of 27 percent, making China its fourth-largest global market. The booming demand is driving an industrial upgrade back home: from cultivation to quality assessment, the sector is becoming more standardized and professional.

　　Local growers and exporters agree that tariff cuts have not only sharpened their price edge in China but also bolstered confidence to expand capacity and enhance quality, People"s Daily reported in December 2025.

　　The influx of African produce stems from China"s massive and expanding demand, Bian Yongzu, executive deputy editor-in-chief of Modernization of Management magazine, told the Global Times. Rising incomes and purchasing power have fueled a growing appetite for high-quality, diverse food, positioning the Chinese market as a stable and vast destination for global agricultural exports.

　　Bian noted that Chinese enterprises and their mature industrial models provide critical support. By introducing expertise in deep processing, cold-chain logistics, and fresh-produce transport, China has significantly bolstered local capacities for storage and large-scale exports, making long-distance trade viable. Meanwhile, favorable policies have streamlined procedures and slashed costs, creating a faster track for African goods.

　　China"s total imports and exports with Africa hit 2.49 trillion yuan ($358.2 billion) in 2025, marking a year-on-year increase of 18.4 percent, according to data released by the General Administration of Customs on January 14.