Hunan boosts trade with Africa

CHANGSHA — At a bustling market square in Changsha, capital of Central China's Hunan province, shoppers are picking up African specialty products. One customer samples some body lotion made with shea butter sourced from Mali, which has a creamy white texture and sweet fragrance.

"Thanks to China's duty-free policy, raw material costs are 20 to 25 percent lower, and we pass the savings directly to consumers," said Zuo Dongnan, who has long been engaged in trade between China and Mali. "We currently import around 300,000 metric tons of raw materials every year and our import volume will continue to grow."

Though landlocked, Hunan has emerged as a pacesetter in China-Africa economic cooperation through policy innovations. As the permanent host of the China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo, the province has facilitated 512 signed projects worth $64.71 billion across four expo editions. Its trade value with Africa has remained over 50 billion yuan ($7.34 billion) for years running.

Beyond the biennial expo at Changsha, organizers have taken the event overseas to Kenya, Morocco and other African nations, pre-screening local demand for agricultural machinery, new energy vehicles and auto parts to ensure targeted business matchmaking.

Based on these platforms, Hunan has pioneered a trade settlement model using the free trade non-resident account. A Hunan exporter can open an FTN account, into which a Nigerian importer directly deposits payment in naira. The Chinese firm then uses the naira to purchase goods from Nigerian suppliers, with no currency conversion involved. For Nigerian companies, this eliminates exposure to foreign exchange shortages or volatility of the US dollar.

Since May, China has expanded its zero-tariff treatment to cover all 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic ties. However, international agricultural product trade faces inspection and quarantine requirements. To further ease the entry of African farm products, Hunan launched pioneering pre-assessment systems for African foodstuffs exported to China.

The mechanism allows Chinese experts to review production and processing standards before products are shipped, significantly shortening inspection periods. For small African exporters unfamiliar with China's strict pesticide residue and additive standards, prior assessment helps them adjust processes upfront, avoiding costly rejections or destruction of goods.

The results are visible. In 2025, Hunan's imports from Africa grew 27.2 percent to 30.92 billion yuan. Chinese consumers are now enjoying Benin's fresh pineapples, Ethiopia's coffee beans and Uganda's cocoa beans, while imports of South African macadamia nuts and Kenyan avocados are expected to expand further.

XINHUA-CHINA DAILY