China has strengthened its ‘Green Channel’ policy to accelerate customs clearance for agricultural products from Africa, particularly fresh produce, as part of efforts to expand agricultural trade and improve market access for exporters across the continent.
The development was disclosed on Monday by Shuai Guipeng, Deputy Director of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Office at China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, during a presentation on China-Africa relations, the implementation of the outcomes of the FOCAC Beijing Summit and China’s Zero-Tariff Policy.
Guipeng said the enhanced customs arrangement was introduced to address challenges arising from the long distance between China and African countries, particularly those affecting the transportation, storage and preservation of highly perishable agricultural products.
According to him, China’s General Administration of Customs has upgraded the Green Channel initiative to ensure faster and more efficient customs processing for agricultural exports originating from African countries.
He made the clarification while responding to concerns raised by African journalists over delays in clearing fresh produce exports, citing the example of South African stone fruits, where prolonged customs procedures could reduce product quality because of their perishable nature.
Guipeng also disclosed that China is reviewing its market access procedures by moving away from negotiating export approvals for agricultural products individually and adopting a broader package-based approach.
“In the past, we negotiated with African countries about market access for those fresh products one by one, separately for different kinds of products. Now we are considering package negotiations on agricultural and food products,” he said.
He explained that products such as citrus fruits, oranges and blueberries could be grouped together under the proposed framework, simplifying negotiations and improving the efficiency of customs clearance procedures.
The Chinese official added that bilateral discussions would continue with African countries to determine which agricultural commodities would benefit from expanded access to the Chinese market.
Guipeng further revealed that China is working with its Ministry of Agriculture on implementing a zero-tariff policy for African agricultural and food exports while supporting infrastructure development and industrial expansion across the continent.
According to him, improving agricultural production capacity and increasing value addition in Africa will create greater opportunities for the continent’s products to access China’s growing consumer market.
He reaffirmed China’s commitment to strengthening agricultural cooperation with African countries through improved trade facilitation, expanded market access and policies designed to promote mutually beneficial economic growth.
