China will eliminate tariffs on imports from 53 African countries starting May 1, Beijing announced on Saturday, in a move expected to boost trade between the two regions.

The announcement was made by Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to Chinese state media. Only Eswatini is excluded from the list, as it maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan, whose sovereignty China disputes.

China previously maintained a zero-tariff policy for 33 African nations, but the new measure expands this to nearly the entire continent. China-Africa trade reached $222 billion in early 2025, and officials expect the removal of tariffs to further increase trade flows.