Botswana is moving to expand its citrus exports to China by concluding agreements that would allow its produce to benefit from Beijing’s zero-tariff regime for African goods, President Duma Boko has said.
Speaking ahead of his first state visit to China since taking office, Boko said the initiative could unlock significant opportunities for Botswana by providing access to the Chinese market under the preferential trade arrangement.
“With regard to Botswana, we will be concluding agreements that will enable our citrus produce to enter China under the no-tariff arrangement, which is massive as a benefit to our country,” Boko said in an interview with Xinhua.
The planned export drive comes after China, from 1 May this year, extended zero-tariff treatment to all 53 African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations.
The move effectively grants qualifying African exports duty-free access to one of the world’s largest consumer markets.
Boko welcomed the measure, saying it opened a market of about 1.4 billion consumers to African products and had the potential to strengthen trade ties between China and the continent.
The Botswana leader said his government sees agriculture as one of several sectors that could benefit from deeper economic relations with China.
Beyond citrus exports, Botswana is seeking to expand trade and industrial cooperation with Chinese companies, particularly in mineral beneficiation and manufacturing, as part of efforts to diversify its economy away from a heavy reliance on diamond exports.
Boko said partnerships with Chinese firms that have invested heavily in research and development could help Botswana develop value-added industries and improve its ability to serve international markets.
He also highlighted opportunities for closer cooperation in the digital economy, renewable energy, energy storage and power infrastructure, areas he described as important to Botswana’s economic transformation agenda.
According to Boko, Botswana intends to build on what he characterised as a long-standing and mutually beneficial relationship with China, which has provided development assistance and supported infrastructure and economic projects in the southern African country over many years.
JN/APA