Already this year, China’s trade surplus with Africa is nearly as big as all of 2024, a sign of how President Trump’s tariffs are reshaping the flow of goods.

Free Reads China’s Exports To Africa Soar 25%, As Trump’s Tariffs Push Beijing To New Markets By Staff Reporter  |  August 28, 2025 When Donald Trump reimposed tariffs on Chinese goods, the move was meant to shield U.S. industries. Instead, it has helped turn Africa into China’s fastest-growing trade frontier. In the first seven months of 2025, Chinese exports to Africa jumped 25% year-on-year to USD 122B. That figure already exceeds the continent’s entire imports from China in 2020, and trade is now on track to top USD 200 B for the first time, according to Bloomberg calculations from Chinese customs data. The boom reflects how U.S. restrictions are redirecting Chinese goods toward regions eager for what Beijing can supply. The U.S.’ recent tariff policies have targeted both sides of the global economy. Trump has tightened tariffs on hundreds of billions of dollars’ worth of Chinese goods. He has also narrowed duty-free access for more than 30 African countries, once covered by the African Growth and Opportunity…