South Africa, China’s largest trade partner in the continent, and other Southern African Customs Union (SACU) members are suffering from an unforeseen barrier to enjoying Beijing’s zero-tariff policy.
SACU customs deals are negotiated collectively among the five member states, which means none can unilaterally benefit from the preferential tariff exemption.
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John Steenhuisen, South Africa’s minister of agriculture, said in a recent interview that duty-free access to China had been rendered “quite complicated” as the country is part of SACU, whose other members are Botswana, Lesotho and Namibia.
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SACU’s collective bargaining agreement prevents individual members from accessing Beijing’s zero-tariff deal, so the exclusion of eSwatini over its recognition of Taiwan means all five are excluded.
