NEWS
CHINA GRANTED ZERO TARIFF TREATMENT TO SOUTH AFRICAN WINES
By Staff Reporter
12-2-2026
Source: Unsplash
China has granted zero-tariff treatment to all South African exports, including wine, under a landmark bilateral economic partnership agreement signed during the 9th China-South Africa Joint Economic and Trade Commission meeting in Beijing.
The move eliminates duties on South African wine imports, opening a major growth channel for one of Africa’s top wine-producing nations into the world’s largest alcoholic beverage market.
Chinese Commerce Minister Wang Wentao and South African Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition Parks Tau co-chaired the meeting and sealed the agreement, which complies with World Trade Organisation rules and provides long-term, stable trade terms for South African goods.
South Africa becomes the 33rd African country to secure full zero-tariff access to China under this framework.
President Xi Jinping announced last June that China will grant zero-tariff commitment to all the 53 African countries maintaining diplomatic relationship with China at a ministerial meeting under the Forum on China–Africa Cooperation.
Previously, South African faced 14 percent import tariffs for bottled wines and 20 per cent for bulk wines in China, putting it at a competitive disadvantage against suppliers from Chile, Australia, New Zealand and Georgia which already benefit from zero tariff arrangements.
Despite being tariff free, imported wines still subject to a 10 percent consumption tax and 13 percent value-added tax in China.
The South African government described the deal as “landmark” and said the two sides aim to conclude an “Early Harvest Agreement” by the end of March 2026.
However, South Africa’s wine exports to China remain modest. In 2025, the country ranked 11th among China’s wine import sources by value, with imports totalling USD7.07 million, accounting for 0.5 percent of China’s total wine imports.
Wine imports from South Africa declined sharply last year. Import value fell 47.61 percent year-on-year, while volume dropped 47.03 percent to 2.01 million liters, reflecting weak demand and strong competition in the Chinese market.
(the writer can be contacted at: info@thewinechronicle.com)
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