Chinese Zero-tariff Treatment For African Developing Countries

Since they established relations, China and Africa have developed a trust-worthy and win-win cooperation. But while China has found her own path to development, African countries are still struggling with underdevelopment issues. In 2005, in order to help Africa in improving her trade balance and economic situation, China implemented measures to grant African countries that have diplomatic ties with her, a zero-tariff treatment. The aim is to trigger more imports from Africa by suppressing trade barriers. Unfortunately African eligible countries do not use it. Our thesis’aim is declined on two folds:firstly to analyze what are the motivations of China in granting a zero-tariff treatment to African developing countries and what could be reasons why African eligible countries are not using them.. And secondly, the thesis analyses how the treatment could be an asset to Sino-African relations. In effect, the eligible countries for Chinese zero-tariff treatment are developing countries. Most of them depend on development aid and are under the diktat of the donors. But instead of positive impacts, the countries become more and more dependent on it and do not really concentrate on development issues. How can Chinese zero-tariff can change that? We believe that trade is a better way to reach development and Chinese zero-tariff treatment can trigger a will for trade from eligible countries. It also allows a greater implication of new actors in Sino-African relations. Most of the actors on play in Sino-African relations are mostly diplomats and governments officials. The world is changing. The increase of exchange between peoples leads to globalization. Issues are more and more considered global and need all actors implicated in globalization to solve them. Companies are one of the main actors of Globalisation, but they are absent on Sino-African relations scene. This is what Chinese zero-tariff treatment can improve. In effect, African eligible countries have to benefit from the treatment through their companies, and also with the cooperation of Chinese companies. In the case of Sino-African relations, Chinese zero-treatment can help create an economic interdependence that will help in strengthening Sino-African relations through Chinese and African eligible countries’cooperation.