The AfriKan Continental Union Consult (ACUC) has commended the Chinese government for giving zero-tariff access to African countries, indicating that it represents a fundamental shift from exploitation.

Dr Benjamin Anyagre Aziginaateeg, the Chief Executive Officer of ACUC, reacting to the move, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that China’s approach represented a fundamental shift toward genuine partnership rather than exploitation. 

“The recent tariff elimination, infrastructure investments, and capacity-building programmes demonstrate that this is not merely diplomatic rhetoric but a comprehensive strategy for mutual development and shared prosperity,” he said.

According to him, the quantifiable results from concrete infrastructure projects to measurable increases in trade volumes and agricultural productivity validate China’s optimistic assessment of this partnership's transformative potential for African economic development and sovereignty.

He further noted that the Global South's cooperation on trade has been significantly boosted by China's international policy of win-win interest, directly benefiting African states, adding that their intention to drop tariffs on imports from African countries was not merely aspirational but a reality.

“As of June 2025, China has officially committed to eliminating all tariffs on imports from 53 African countries, covering 100% of taxable products. This represents the most comprehensive trade liberalisation package ever offered by a major economy to an entire continent, directly supporting the shared prosperity agenda and industrial growth across Africa,” he stressed. 

Dr Aziginaateeg noted that this zero-tariff policy was projected to boost African gross domestic product (GDP) growth significantly through increased export revenues and job creation, showing a comprehensive approach that ensures that all African nations with diplomatic relations benefit equally, fostering continental economic integration, unlike the selective trade preferences practised by others, a shift from increased trade barriers by Western countries.

“This represents a complete departure from Western impositions of economic squeezing measures designed to frustrate African economic growth. The Western approach comprises conditional aid, structural adjustment programmes, and selective trade preferences that often tie African economies to dependency cycles. In contrast, the Chinese approach provides unconditional market access, infrastructure investment, and technology transfer without political conditionalities,” he added.

He said China's goodwill for Africa extends beyond trade to tangible infrastructure development in energy, rail, road, and water management systems, stating that in Ghana, for instance, some benefits to Ghana include the Bui Dam project (400 MW capacity) completed by Sinohydro Corporation in 2013, the Volta River projects with Chinese technical assistance, which could maximise water resources for both irrigation and industrial development, and the push for skill training for youth in agriculture and aviculture sectors.

He added that China trains approximately 10,000 African officials yearly in agricultural and development techniques through its specialised programmes like the China Agricultural University Youth of Excellence Scheme specifically targeting young African agricultural researchers.

“Grassroots agricultural education programmes are helping smallholder farmers across African nations, increasing productivity, reducing import dependency and guaranteeing food sovereignty. These programmes directly address unemployment challenges in impoverished South-South regional states through practical skill development rather than theoretical education.”

He further explained that Chinese agricultural cooperation programmes focus on increasing local production capacity through technology transfer, including drought-resistant crops and efficient farming techniques, guaranteeing food security and taking care of the current situation of many African nations importing 60 to 80 per cent of their food requirements.

The ACUC chief executive further said China was Africa's largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years, investing over $700 billion in infrastructure investment, helping to reduce dependency on Western financial institutions with restrictive conditionalities.

“This China-Africa partnership model provides a replicable framework for South-South cooperation that other developing regions can adapt, challenging the traditional North-South dependency model that has characterised global economics for centuries.”

Dr Aziginaateeg said the recent meeting in Changsha, with the presence of 53 African states and the African Union, resulted in the China-Africa Changsha Declaration on Upholding Solidarity, which called for the United States to resolve trade tensions through dialogue rather than punitive measures.

The declaration and policies, he noted, represented the largest multilateral endorsement of South-South cooperation principles in recent history, with all African nations except Eswatini, a testament to the broad continental support for this partnership model.