ZERO TARIFFS, BIG GAINS

In Rwanda, many local companies are looking to capitalize on the zero-tariff policy to gain better access to the Chinese market and, by extension, the global market. Fisher Global, a Rwandan agricultural company that began exporting dried chili to China in 2022, is now aiming to turn chili into a major cash crop for rural communities.

"At first, we had only about 15 hectares under chili cultivation, but now we have expanded to 300 hectares," Herman Uwizeyimana, general manager of Fisher Global, told Xinhua.

According to Uwizeyimana, the company now has 31 permanent employees and up to 600 casual workers, creating much-needed jobs and boosting local incomes.

"Exporting to China has been a great opportunity for us. With the memorandum of understanding between Rwanda and China to export dried chili, it has really opened doors," he said. "Having access to such a huge and stable market has empowered us to keep improving both the quantity and the size of our planting area."

Fisher Global's chili exports to China have grown rapidly -- from just one container in 2022 to around 10 containers in 2023. The company now exports some 300 metric tons of dried chili annually and aims to surpass 1,000 metric tons in the coming years.

Profound changes are becoming visible among farmers as their incomes rise from chili cultivation. For 28-year-old farmer Emmanuel Bihoyiki, his income has more than tripled. With his increased earnings, he has been able to purchase land for himself and his parents.

"Chili farming was the first business opportunity I found that has brought significant income, not only to me but also to my fellow villagers, improving our livelihoods," he said.

In recent years, China has broadened market access for African goods by granting zero-tariff treatment and improving "green channels" for customs clearance, while actively supporting African companies' participation in major trade events such as the China International Import Expo (CIIE) and the China International Supply Chain Expo.

These measures have helped connect African specialty products with global markets. In 2025, China-Africa trade grew by 17.7 percent year on year to reach 348 billion US dollars, while Africa's exports to China exceeded 123 billion dollars.

China's zero-tariff policy "offers an opportunity for market diversification," said Cobus van Staden, a senior researcher at the South African Institute of International Affairs.

The policy is expected to facilitate African exporters' entry into the Chinese market, he said, adding that it "will help exporters diversify their markets and hopefully gain access to a large group of new customers" and "could help African industrialization."