ACCRA, April 1 (Xinhua) -- Participants at a dialogue in Ghana have hailed China's zero-tariff offer to Africa as a major pathway to advance both national and continental economic and industrialization initiatives.
Samuel Nii-Noi Ashong, senior policy advisor for fiscal management at Ghana's Ministry of Finance, described the gesture as "remarkable and historic," urging Ghana to leverage it to transform its industrial sector and secure a more favorable trading position with China in the future.
He made the remarks at the one-day dialogue held under the theme "China-Africa Zero Tariff: Opportunities for Ghana" by the Ghana-China Friendship Association on Tuesday in Accra.
According to Ashong, the preferential tariff treatment offers direct benefits for Ghana's recently launched 24-hour economy policy.
"With the right approach and interventions by the government, Ghana can maximize the opportunities and build strong export competitiveness," he said.
He highlighted the non-reciprocal nature of China's zero-tariff policy, noting that African countries are not required to remove tariffs on Chinese imports in return.
"Linking these concessions to technology-based capacity building, including knowledge transfer, targeted export promotion, and creating dedicated trade offices in China, will help promote Ghanaian-made goods directly to the 1.4 billion-consumer market in China," he highlighted.
During the dialogue, Li Yaohong, economic and commercial counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Ghana, said the zero-tariff policy aims to drive industrialization and overall development across Africa.
"It will completely open up the channel for high-quality Ghanaian products to enter China's vast market. This initiative will significantly enhance Ghana's investment attractiveness, drawing in more foreign capital and generating immeasurable positive impact on Ghana's socio-economic development," Li said.
He noted that under the new preferential treatment regime, platforms such as the China International Import Expo and the Canton Fair would serve not only as stages for product display but also as key bridges for Ghanaian enterprises to connect with Chinese buyers, build brand recognition, and integrate into the global industrial chain.
"We firmly believe that zero tariffs will greatly stimulate Ghana's industrialization potential, promote a transition from raw material exports to deep processing and branding, create more jobs, and benefit thousands of households," the official added.
