South Africa’s trade minister heads to China, seeking duty-free export access

South Africa’s trade minister Parks Tau will travel to China from Thursday to Saturday to sign the China–Africa Economic Partnership Agreement, which will see South African exports gain duty-free access to the Chinese market, Tau’s office said. South Africa is seeking to boost exports amid a tariff row with the United States, its second-largest bilateral trading partner after China. President Donald Trump imposed a 30% tariff on South African exports to the U.S.

in August, the highest rate in Sub-Saharan Africa. Tau’s trip to China “comes at a time when South Africa is pursuing an objective of market diversification and export growth,” his office said in a statement on Thursday. Tau will also meet Chinese companies interested in investing in South Africa on his visit.