South Africa has taken a major step towards expanding its trade footprint in Asia after signing a framework economic partnership agreement with China.
The agreement was signed during a visit to China by South Africa’s Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, Parks Tau, alongside his Chinese counterpart, Wang Wentao. According to the trade ministry, the deal lays the foundation for enhanced economic cooperation and improved market access between both countries.
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Under the arrangement, negotiations are expected to lead to the conclusion of an Early Harvest Agreement by the end of March 2026. Once finalised, the agreement would allow selected South African exports to enter the Chinese market on a duty-free basis.
The move comes as South Africa intensifies efforts to diversify its export destinations amid ongoing trade tensions with the United States. China is currently South Africa’s largest bilateral trading partner, followed by the US.
Trade relations with Washington have recently come under strain after US President Donald Trump imposed a 30 per cent tariff on South African exports in August the highest rate applied to any country in sub-Saharan Africa.
Officials believe the new partnership with China could help cushion the impact of the US tariffs while opening new opportunities for South African producers and exporters.
