A cargo ship prepares to dock at Yantian port in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, China, on October 30, 2025. Photo: REUTERS

In a congratulatory message to the 39th African Union Summit in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, on Saturday, the Chinese leader said China will continue to promote the signing of comprehensive economic partnership agreements and further expand market access for African exports by upgrading so-called “green channels.”

Previously, at a ministerial conference coordinating the implementation of outcomes from the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation, held in Hunan Province in June last year, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with the foreign ministers of 53 African countries and issued a declaration on China–Africa solidarity and cooperation within the Global South. The declaration stated that China is ready to apply a zero-percent tariff to 100 percent of products from the 53 African countries with diplomatic ties to Beijing, excluding Eswatini, which still maintains diplomatic relations with Taiwan, through the signing of common economic development cooperation agreements, while welcoming high-quality African goods into the Chinese market.

In the same message to the African Union Summit, President Xi emphasized that amid a complex and volatile international environment, China remains firmly committed to safeguarding world peace, promoting shared development, and building a community with a shared future for humanity.