There's good news and bad news for African countries in the latest China trade figures released this week. On the positive side, African exports to China surged in May and June, driven by strong demand for oil, metals, and agricultural products. China's new tariff-free policy for African goods is clearly beginning to make a difference.

The downside is that almost all of this export growth came from raw, unprocessed commodities, reinforcing Africa's position at the bottom of the industrial value chain. Today, roughly 90% of Africa's exports to China are raw materials, and the latest trade data shows that pattern remains firmly intact.

There are signs, however, that this could begin to change. Sanusha Naidu, a senior research fellow at the Institute for Global Dialogue in South Africa, joins Eric to discuss how Namibia and other African countries are pressing China to invest in local processing and manufacturing so more value is added before raw materials leave the continent.

📌 Topics Covered in This Episode

China's latest Africa trade figures
Winners and losers from zero tariffs
Beyond raw materials and mining
Namibia's new strategy with China
FOCAC 2027 priorities take shape
Can Africa capture more value?

Show Notes:

South China Morning Post: China's imports from Africa surge after Beijing expands zero-tariff policy by Mia Nurmamat
China Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Joint Statement Between the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Namibia on Building a China-Namibia Community with a Shared Future for the New Era
Reuters: China's African Tariff Removals, Trade Surge Spur Yuan Adoption by Duncan Miriri

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