South Africa is strengthening economic ties with China as it seeks to reduce the impact of fresh U.S. trade tariffs.
According to Business Insider Africa, Washington’s recent 30% duty on South African exports has accelerated Pretoria’s drive to diversify its trade partners.
The Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen confirmed this week that a preliminary trade agreement with China is close to finalisation.
The deal, facilitated during his recent visit to Beijing alongside Deputy President Paul Mashatile, will initially allow the export of five varieties of stone fruit—plums, peaches, nectarines, apricots, and prunes—to the Chinese market.
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“This protocol for stone fruit opens a new chapter for South African agriculture,” Steenhuisen said on social media, noting that access to China’s vast consumer base could help offset losses from the U.S. market.
The pivot marks a strategic rebalancing of South Africa’s trade priorities.
While the U.S. has long been a key destination for South African goods—boosted by agreements like AGOA—tariff hikes under President Donald Trump have spurred the search for alternative markets.
As the world’s second-largest citrus exporter after Spain, South Africa already ships significant volumes of apples, pears, grapes, avocados, and blueberries.
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The country exported 4.2 million tonnes of fresh fruit in 2024, a 2.1% rise from the previous year, continuing a decade-long growth trend.
Analysts note that this initial agricultural agreement could pave the way for a broader trade pact with China, potentially expanding into minerals, manufactured goods, and value-added products—reducing South Africa’s dependence on any single market and mitigating future trade shocks.
Image Credit: Global Voices
