Harare, (New Ziana) – Zimbabwe is positioning itself to unlock greater export opportunities and deepen trade ties with the People’s Republic of China after Cabinet noted progress on a landmark zero-tariff market access arrangement that is expected to boost the country’s agricultural and value-added exports.
Speaking during a post-Cabinet media briefing in Harare on Tuesday, Minister of Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services, Dr Soda Zhemu, said Cabinet had considered and noted a report on the unilateral Zero-Tariff Preferential Market Access offered by China, which opens one of the world’s largest consumer markets to qualifying Zimbabwean products.
The report was presented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Professor Amon Murwira.
Zhemu said the preferential arrangement stems from commitments made by China during the 2024 Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), where Beijing announced the Pre-Early Harvest Initiative, granting eligible African countries duty-free access to the Chinese market.
“Effective 1 May 2026, qualifying Zimbabwean products can enter the Chinese market duty-free under 8 949 tariff lines for a period of two years ending on 30 April 2028,” Zhemu said.
The initiative is expected to significantly enhance Zimbabwe’s export competitiveness by lowering the cost of its products in China, thereby making them more attractive to Chinese buyers.
It also presents an opportunity for local producers to diversify export markets, increase foreign currency earnings and stimulate industrial production.
Zhemu said Zimbabwe had already fulfilled the administrative requirements necessary to participate in the arrangement.
“Already, ZimTrade has been designated to issue Certificates of Origin, while ZIMRA verifies compliance with the Rules of Origin,” he said.
Certificates of Origin are essential trade documents that confirm goods originate from Zimbabwe and therefore qualify for the duty-free treatment under the agreement.
Compliance with Rules of Origin ensures that only eligible Zimbabwean products benefit from the preferential access.
Recognising that the current arrangement is temporary, the Government has already begun laying the groundwork for negotiations aimed at securing a more permanent trade agreement with China.
“Zimbabwe has started internal processes as a preparatory stage for negotiations with China when the Pre-Early Harvest Initiative expires in April 2028,” Zhemu said.
He added that because the current arrangement lasts only two years, African countries participating in the initiative will need to negotiate longer-term partnership agreements with China to preserve similar preferential trading conditions.
“Upon successful conclusion of negotiations, Zimbabwe will secure continued preferential market access beyond April 2028, create greater certainty for exporters and investors, expand market access for new agricultural and value-added products, and strengthen its position on the Chinese market,” he said.
China remains one of Zimbabwe’s largest trading partners and a major destination for exports such as tobacco, lithium and chrome, while also importing agricultural commodities from the country.
The latest initiative aligns with Zimbabwe’s drive to increase exports of processed and value-added products under the National Development Strategy and the country’s industrialisation agenda.
The zero-tariff arrangement could encourage investment in export-oriented industries, particularly agriculture, agro-processing and manufacturing, as businesses seek to take advantage of improved access to the vast Chinese market.
If successfully leveraged, the initiative could also contribute to job creation, increased production and stronger economic growth while reinforcing Zimbabwe’s economic cooperation with China.
New Ziana
