By Francis Kobena Tandoh
Ghana-based Africa-China Center for Policy and Advisory (ACCPA), in partnership with the China Europe International Business School (CEIBS), on Thursday organized a forum on China’s zero-tariff policy in the Ghanaian capital, Accra.
The forum, designed to move the conversation from policy opportunity to practical implementation, was co-hosted by the ACCPA and CEIBS Africa, bringing together policymakers, exporters, businesses, financial institutions, agencies that support trade, development partners, researchers, and the media.
In his remarks at the Ghana-China Zero-Tariff Forum 2026, Chinese Ambassador to Ghana H.E. Cong Song said China’s zero-tariff treatment comes with no political strings attached, stressing that the door of opportunity that the policy offers African countries to China’s mega-market is wide open.
The zero-tariff treatment, he said, is geared toward shared development and further expanding market access for African products.
“The zero-tariff policy features distinct characteristics. First, it is offered unilaterally, with no requirement for African countries to open their markets reciprocally. Second, there are no quota restrictions, meaning there is no ceiling on the volume of African exports to China. Third, it comes with no political strings attached,” said the Chinese Ambassador.
Ambassador Cong highlighted some benefits of the zero-tariff treatment, including lowering the cost of African products entering the Chinese market and providing African products with a competitive advantage in China, encouraging manufacturing investment in Africa, as well as providing a stable and predictable market access to African countries.
The implementation of the zero-tariff treatment, said the ambassador, has further unlocked growth potential for China-Africa trade.
Paul Frimpong, Executive Director of the Africa-China Center for Policy and Advisory, one of the main organizers of the forum, emphasized the need for Ghana to make use of its experiences to make the best of China’s zero-tariff policy.
“I believe we will be able to get the best things from China’s zero-tariff policy,” said Frimpong.
On 14th February, 2026, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a congratulatory message to the 39th African Union (AU) Summit and announced that China would implement zero-tariff treatment on all products from 53 African countries that have diplomatic relations with China starting from 1st May, 2026.
He further stated that China will also continue to promote the negotiation and signing of Economic Partnership Agreements for shared development and further expand market access for African products by upgrading the “green lanes,” among other measures. Enditem
Source: Ghana Eye Report
