Burgeoning China-Africa trade enables African coffee beans to arrive in China faster

Five years ago, it would take at least three months for African coffee beans to be transported to China. Now, it can be achieved in one month or less, according to Jing Jianhua, a man who has been engaged in the coffee business in Changsha city, central China's Hunan Province, for 25 years.

This significant change is attributed to the implementation of a series of trade facilitation measures taken by China to enhance trade and economic cooperation with Africa.

Photo shows a street where African coffee is traded in the Gaoqiao Grand Market in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province. (Photo/Hunan Daily)

Africa is one of the world's most important coffee bean producing regions. Its unique natural environment and high altitudes make African coffee beans highly favored in the market, Jing said.

However, due to the long distance between China and Africa, the import of African coffee beans used to require intermediaries, resulting in long procurement cycles, unaffordable prices, and unstable quality of coffee beans, Jing explained.

The turning point began in 2018, when the 2018 Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in Beijing announced the implementation of eight major initiatives by China in close collaboration with African countries, with trade facilitation actions and expanding imports of African goods representing key arrangements of the initiatives.

Subsequently, the blueprint for the eight major initiatives quickly turned into reality. The China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo (CAETE) settled in Hunan, and the establishment of the China (Hunan) Pilot Free Trade Zone was approved, which included the goal of exploring new pathways and mechanisms for China-Africa economic and trade cooperation.

"Compared to five years ago, African coffee beans have easier access to the Chinese market, greatly saving transportation time and reducing communication costs," Jing said.

Nowadays, with the help of government platforms, he has met many reliable partners for business cooperation, ensuring the quality of his African coffee beans, Jing added.

Data shows that China has remained Africa's largest trading partner for 15 consecutive years.

This year, China-Africa trade has reached new heights, with China's total imports from and exports to Africa in the first seven months of this year amounting to 1.19 trillion yuan ($170 billion), setting a new high for the same period historically.

China has implemented a slew of measures and policies to boost its trade with Africa, including opening a green channel for African agricultural products and building platforms for bilateral trade between the two sides.

The CAETE and pilot free trade zone in Hunan have allowed more African products to enter China, with coffee beans being one of them.

In addition to coffee beans, citrus fruits, avocados, chili peppers, sesame seeds, and other African products have appeared on shelves in various markets across China.

Economic and trade cooperation between China and Africa is becoming increasingly close, pointed out Lyu Daliang, director of the Department of Statistics and Analysis of the General Administration of Customs.

China needs more African products, and Africa also needs more made-in-China products, indicating a promising outlook for bilateral trade development, Lyu noted.