JOHANNESBURG, Oct 22 – South Africa’s exports to China increased nearly 25% year-on-year between May and August 2026, following Beijing’s introduction of a zero-tariff scheme for qualifying African exports, according to Chinese Ambassador Wu Peng.
Speaking at an event in Pretoria, Wu said South African imports from China also rose by 23% over the same period, highlighting expanding trade flows between the two countries.
China is South Africa’s largest trading partner, but Pretoria has been seeking to reduce the imbalance between its exports and imports. In 2025, South Africa exported approximately 222 billion rand ($13.5 billion) worth of goods to China while importing nearly twice that amount, Trade Minister Parks Tau said.
South African exports to China include agricultural products, minerals and manufactured goods. The expansion of preferential market access could create opportunities for local producers, particularly those seeking to increase exports of higher-value products.
Wu acknowledged South Africa’s concerns about the trade imbalance and expressed confidence that more South African products would gain access to the Chinese market.
“more and more South African high value-added products will enter the Chinese market in the future,” he said.
Zero-Tariff Scheme Supports Export Diversification
Beijing’s initiative is intended to improve market access for eligible African goods by removing applicable import tariffs. For South African exporters, the policy could improve price competitiveness and create additional opportunities in the Chinese market, depending on product eligibility and demand.
The latest growth figures indicate an increase in trade in both directions. However, the rise in imports from China means that stronger overall trade flows do not necessarily translate into a narrower bilateral trade deficit.
Expanding exports, particularly in manufactured and processed goods, remains an important consideration for South Africa as it seeks to capture more value from its production base and diversify its international markets.
US Trade Uncertainty Adds Pressure on Pretoria
South Africa’s efforts to deepen commercial ties with China also come amid uncertainty over its trade relationship with the United States.
The US has extended the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which provides eligible sub-Saharan African countries with duty-free access for qualifying products, until 2028. However, South Africa faces the risk of exclusion amid tensions with President Donald Trump’s administration over its domestic and foreign policies.
The administration has accused the South African government of persecuting white people, an allegation Pretoria denies.
Tau said he expected an announcement in early November on whether South Africa would be excluded from AGOA, while describing himself as “cautiously optimistic” about the outcome.
Any restriction on South Africa’s preferential access to the US market could increase the importance of developing alternative export destinations. China’s zero-tariff initiative therefore offers a potential avenue for diversification, although the extent of the benefit will depend on the range of eligible products, commercial demand and South African companies’ ability to expand supply.
South Africa Seeks a More Balanced Trade Relationship
For Pretoria, the challenge is not only to increase exports to China but also to improve the composition of those exports and strengthen the domestic industries that generate them.
Higher exports of manufactured and value-added products could help address concerns about the trade imbalance while supporting industrial development and employment. The zero-tariff scheme may assist that effort, but the recent growth figures alone do not establish whether the gap between imports and exports is narrowing.
The trajectory of South Africa-China trade will depend on continued market access, competitiveness and demand, alongside the outcome of negotiations over South Africa’s preferential trade arrangements with the United States.
