Africa-Press. South Africa announced that its trade minister signed a framework economic partnership agreement during a visit to China, describing it as a step toward securing duty-free access for its exports to the Chinese market.
Africa’s largest economy is seeking to boost exports amid a tariff dispute with the United States, its second-largest bilateral trading partner after China. Last August, U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a 30% tariff on South African exports to the United States, the highest rate in sub-Saharan Africa.
In a statement, South Africa’s Department of Trade said Minister Parks Tau and his Chinese counterpart Wang Wentao signed a “framework economic partnership agreement for shared prosperity.”
The statement added that the agreement will be followed by an “early harvest agreement” by the end of March 2026, under which China will grant tariff-free access to South African exports.
China announced last June, after Trump began unveiling tariff measures against countries worldwide, that it would remove all tariffs on the 53 African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations. Kenya, East Africa’s largest economy, announced a preliminary trade agreement with China last month.
South Africa’s trade department said deepening trade relations with China would create opportunities for South African companies seeking access to the Chinese market, particularly in sectors such as mining and agriculture.
Tau said: “We will negotiate with the aim of including the necessary safeguards in the agreement to protect South Africa’s industrial capacity.” China also invited South Africa to an event promoting investment opportunities in the country’s steel industry.
“We look forward to attracting more Chinese investment into South Africa, as well as introducing more South African products into the Chinese market,” Tau added.
