House Orders Review of China–Africa Zero-Tariff Deal

Monrovia, Liberia: The Plenary of the House of Representatives has launched a review of Liberia’s participation in a major trade arrangement with China, amid growing questions about whether Liberian businesses are actually benefiting from the policy.

The House during the week mandated its Committee on Commerce and Industry to conduct a comprehensive review of the China–Africa Zero-Tariff Trade Policy, an agreement reached during the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation Summit 2024 in Beijing.

The decision followed a formal communication from Nehker E. Gaye, Representative of Nimba County Electoral District #3, who urged the House to investigate how effectively Liberia is utilizing the trade opportunity created under the policy.

Representative Gaye told colleagues that the agreement reached during the summit marked a strategic shift in relations between China and African nations — moving away from traditional aid toward deeper trade and investment cooperation.

According to him, Liberia was among the African countries included in the zero-tariff initiative, which allows certain exports to enter the Chinese market without import duties, potentially opening a vast market for African products.

“In view of the above-mentioned, and considering the vital nature of this Zero-Tariff Trade Policy, I crave the Plenary’s indulgence to invite the Minister of Commerce, Trade and Industry to provide detailed information as to whether our business people are making maximum use of this opportunity,” Gaye said in his communication.

Following deliberations, lawmakers mandated the committee to engage the Ministry of Commerce and Industry of Liberia and provide a detailed report within one week outlining the advantages, disadvantages, and practical impact of the policy on Liberia’s economy.

The review is expected to examine whether Liberian exporters are accessing the Chinese market, what barriers they face, and how government agencies can better position local businesses to benefit from the trade arrangement.

The Forum on China–Africa Cooperation, widely known as Forum on China–Africa Cooperation (FOCAC), has become one of the most significant diplomatic and economic platforms connecting China with African countries, with trade between the partners reaching hundreds of billions of dollars annually.

Lawmakers say the House’s intervention is aimed at ensuring that international trade agreements translate into real economic opportunities for Liberian entrepreneurs, while strengthening the country’s export capacity and overall economic growth.