On 1st May 2026, China implemented a zero-tariff policy covering all 53 African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations, requiring no reciprocity. The measure builds on an earlier step: since 1 December 2024, China has eliminated tariffs on 100% of tariff lines for 33 least developed countries (LDCs) in Africa on the same diplomatic-recognition condition, meaning these countries can now ship products to China without paying customs duties at all. The policy sits at the intersection of development preferences, South-South cooperation, and shifting geopolitics, at a moment when African economies face renewed uncertainty in their trade relations with the United States and Europe. This post examines the WTO-law basis for the measure, the harder questions raised by its extension to non-LDC African states, and the comparison with EU and US preferential schemes. It closes with a political-economy reflection on path dependency in African development against the backdrop of trade tensions.
WTO
Page 1 of 8
The War on Terroir Continues: The Escalating Conflict Between the U.S. and the EU on Geographical Indications
In a time when the views of the European Union and the United States of America appear to be drifting further apart each day, long-standing issues are resurfacing once again. Tim Josling’s 2006 article “The War on Terroir” describes the transatlantic trade conflict between the U.S. and the EU concerning Geographical Indications (GIs) through the lense of…
From Managed Trade to Managed Investment Through Trade
Prior to the establishment of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) and the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), tariffs routinely functioned as deliberate instruments of industrial policy. By raising the cost of imports, States sought to channel foreign economic activity inland, effectively leaving exporters wishing to preserve market access with little alternative but to…
The Pitfalls of Addressing Rising Industrial Un-competitiveness Through Trade Remedies
Energy costs have been rising, particularly in Europe following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. This price hike is a major blow to heavy industries for which energy makes up a large part of the cost of production. The issue has been further exacerbated by the fact that the affected products are mostly commodities. As a result, producers…
From Uruguay to Turnberry – The Return of “Aggressive Unilateralism”
The bicycle theory of trade suggests that the global trading system, much like a bicycle, must maintain steady momentum toward freer trade—any failure to move forward will condemn the multilateral system to topple over and fall due to pressures of protectionism. As the world's leading trading nation, the U.S. was traditionally seen as the key force…
- Page 1 of 8
- Last