PRETORIA, South Africa — South Africa’s trade with China has increased significantly following Beijing’s introduction of a zero-tariff scheme for eligible African exports in May, as Pretoria seeks to expand overseas markets and reduce its trade imbalance with its largest trading partner.

Chinese Ambassador to South Africa Wu Peng said South African exports to China rose by nearly 25 per cent year-on-year between May and August, while imports from China increased by 23 per cent over the same period.

The figures point to growing commercial activity following China’s decision to remove tariffs on qualifying imports from African countries. South Africa exports a range of goods to China, including agricultural produce, minerals and manufactured products.

Trade Minister Parks Tau said South Africa exported approximately 222 billion rand (about $13.5 billion) worth of goods to China in 2025, while imports from the Asian economy were nearly twice that value. The imbalance has prompted calls for South Africa to increase exports of higher-value products rather than rely heavily on raw materials.

Wu said Beijing had taken note of Pretoria’s concerns about the trade gap and expressed confidence that more South African value-added products would enter the Chinese market in the coming years.

The effort to diversify export destinations comes as South Africa faces uncertainty over its trade relationship with the United States. Although Washington has extended the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA), which provides eligible African countries with preferential access to the US market, South Africa’s continued participation remains uncertain amid disagreements with US President Donald Trump’s administration over its domestic and foreign policies.

Tau said he expected an announcement in early November on whether South Africa would be excluded from the programme, adding that he remained cautiously optimistic about the outcome.

The expansion of trade with China could provide South African exporters with additional opportunities, although the rise in imports shows that increased commercial activity alone may not resolve the country’s longstanding trade imbalance.

Stay connected with AGCNewsNet for more news across Africa.