Leverage China’s new trade policy - GFZA CEO to businesses

The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Free Zones Authority (GFZA), Dr Mary Awusi, has urged Ghanaian businesses, particularly exporters, to fully leverage China’s recent trade policy adjustments to increase their exports to the world’s second-largest economy.

Earlier this month, China announced a significant shift in its trade policy aimed at strengthening economic ties with African nations, including Ghana.

A key development under this new policy is China’s decision to eliminate all import tariffs on goods from the 53 African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations.

This move extends duty-free and quota-free market access not only to least developed countries (LDCs) but also to middle-income countries, thereby levelling the playing field.

The initiative forms part of China’s broader strategy to address the long-standing trade imbalance with Africa, where Chinese exports have historically exceeded imports from the continent.

Opportunity for Ghana

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the 4th China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo — a high-level Quality Foreign Trade Matchmaking Side Event held in Changsha, China, Dr Awusi said GFZA was ready to assist companies operating under the Free Zones programme to expand and scale up production in order to take full advantage of the opportunity presented by one of Ghana’s key trade partners.

The event, organised by the Trade Development Bureau of the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China, with support from the Hunan GBA Economic and Trade Exchange Promotion Association and the Sand-Stone Association, was designed to foster trade exchange, business matchmaking, and market expansion for entrepreneurs from both China and Africa.

She said the policy shift came at a time when the government had launched its 24-hour economy policy, aimed at supporting continuous industrial and manufacturing activities across the country.

Implications

The policy presents a unique opportunity for Ghanaian exporters to access the vast Chinese market without the burden of import tariffs.

Products such as agricultural commodities, processed foods, and other manufactured goods can now enter China more competitively.

In this regard, Ghana’s Free Zones Scheme offers a strategic platform for manufacturing and exporting goods, with free zone enterprises well-positioned to benefit significantly from this policy shift.

Dr Awusi also used the event to market Ghana’s Free Zones Programme to Chinese investors.

In her presentation, she outlined the competitive incentives available under the programme and extended a formal invitation to Chinese businesses to explore the significant investment and export-oriented manufacturing opportunities the programme offered.

Rationale

The Deputy Director-General of the Department of Commerce of Hunan Province, Mr Deng Weiping, explained that China’s new trade policy permitted duty-free imports from selected countries, including Ghana.

He said the policy was expected to significantly boost Ghanaian exports to China, and also offerstrategic advantage to companies operating within Ghana’s Free Zones.