A booming coffee class and zero-tariff policy drive China's push for African bean imports

China is reaching out to Africa's top coffee-producing nations as part of a broader strategy to secure new supply chains overseas. Observers say the shift — which coincides with Brazil seeking new buyers in China because of a new 50 percent U.S. tariff on Brazilian coffee — is driven by China's strong domestic demand. The scale of this push is clear: last week, Beijing authorized 183 new Brazilian coffee companies to export to China. This is in addition to a $2.5 billion deal signed in November between China's largest coffee chain, Luckin Coffee, and a Brazilian export agency which would supply 240,000 tons of beans between 2025 and 2029. Meanwhile, Chinese buyers are also turning to Africa, thanks in part to Beijing's new zero-tariff policy on products from 53 African nations, which has made African coffee more competitive in the Chinese market. For countries such as Ethiopia, the birthplace of Arabica coffee, and Uganda — known for fruity Arabica and bold Robusta — this offers a golden opportunity to access the massive Chinese market. Sub-Saharan Africa geoeconomic analyst Aly-Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times Weiter zum vollständigen Artikel bei Korea Times