Tanzania News: China trade with Tanzania will pass TZS 31 trillion (about USD 12 billion) in 2026, China’s ambassador Chen Mingjian said in Zanzibar on 20 October. The same week in Cameroon, a Chinese state builder won a XAF 8.7 billion public contract, showing how Beijing’s footprint reaches both East and Central Africa.
Key facts
- Ambassador Chen Mingjian projected Tanzania-China trade above TZS 31 trillion in 2026, up from TZS 29.82 trillion (USD 11.28 billion) in 2025, according to The Citizen.
- China has applied zero tariffs to all product lines from 53 African countries with diplomatic ties since 1 May 2026.
- China Shanxi Construction Engineering Group won a XAF 8.722 billion contract to build the Central Region office of Cameroon’s Feicom fund; the award was published on 16 October.
- In 2023 Cameroon imported XAF 946.1 billion of goods from China and exported XAF 231.8 billion, national statistics show.
What did China’s ambassador say in Zanzibar?
Chen spoke on Tuesday, 20 October, after meeting Abdi Mahmoud Abdi, deputy secretary-general of the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) in Zanzibar, at the party’s Kisiwandui headquarters. A delegation from the Communist Party of China attended, including Li Qianghua, China’s consul general in Zanzibar.
According to the state-owned Daily News, Abdi said CCM regularly sends leaders to China to study its development experience and thanked Beijing for its support to Dambwe Training College. Chen said improvements to Tanzania’s roads support growth and pledged continued backing for road and airport projects.
The headline number needs care. It is a projection by a diplomat, not a customs total. The Rio Times calculates that it implies growth of roughly 4% on 2025, while the Tanzanian Guardian reported that trade in 2025 jumped about 27% year on year. Neither the split between exports and imports nor a Tanzanian government confirmation has been published. Chen also said Chinese investment has created more than 150,000 jobs; no independent count supports that figure yet.
Zero tariffs, so far without numbers
Since 1 May 2026 China has removed duties on all product lines from 53 African partners. The first cargo cleared that morning in Shenzhen: 24 tonnes of South African apples whose tariff fell from 10% to zero, saving the importer about CNY 20,000 (USD 2,929), Yicai reported. Zanzibar hopes seaweed, spices and farm goods follow. No export data for the islands has been released.
Cameroon: a Feicom office and a widening gap
Feicom director general Philippe Camille Akoa signed the award on 8 October. The Public Contracts Regulatory Agency (ARMP) published it on 16 October, Business in Cameroon reported. The winning bid, XAF 8.722 billion including taxes (about USD 15.5 million), came in 8.18% below Feicom’s XAF 9.5 billion estimate. Construction at Mimetala, in the Méfou-et-Afamba division, is scheduled to take 36 months.
The documents disagree on one point. Supervision was tendered at 37 months, the award decision says 30 days, and the notice writes “thirty-six (37) months”. Feicom has not clarified.
The contract is small. The trade picture behind it is not. Cameroon’s National Institute of Statistics found that imports from China rose 82.6% between 2017 and 2023, while exports barely moved. China supplied 18.9% of Cameroon’s imports in 2023, more than any other country.
Tanzania and Cameroon side by side
| Indicator | Tanzania | Cameroon |
|---|---|---|
| Latest trade figure with China | TZS 29.82 trillion / USD 11.28 billion (2025) | Imports XAF 946.1 billion, exports XAF 231.8 billion (2023) |
| Main exports to China | Not broken down in latest reports | Crude oil 57.8%, LNG 10.5%, raw timber |
| Flagship Chinese-built asset | Roads and airports cited by Chen | Kribi deep-sea port, built from 2011 |
| News this week | Trade projection above TZS 31 trillion | XAF 8.722 billion Feicom contract |
Can duty-free access fix lopsided China trade?
Only if exporters change what they ship. In June, Cameroon’s trade minister Luc Magloire Mbarga Atangana said the government had started mobilising firms to complete the paperwork for duty-free entry, and China’s ambassador Xu Yong said Beijing wanted Cameroon to benefit quickly. The eligible list includes cocoa, coffee, processed timber, cotton and spices.
Our reading: zero tariffs remove a cost, but most of Cameroon’s sales to China are crude oil and LNG, which already move with little friction. The gain lies in processed cocoa and sawn wood, sectors that need investment at home. Tanzania faces the same test with spices and seaweed. See our earlier reports on Cameroon cocoa prices and Tanzania’s push for Chinese tourists.
FAQ
How large is China trade with Tanzania?
The Citizen put it at TZS 29.82 trillion (USD 11.28 billion) in 2025. China’s ambassador expects more than TZS 31 trillion in 2026, a projection not yet backed by customs data.
Which Chinese firm won the Feicom contract in Cameroon?
China Shanxi Construction Engineering Group Corp, with a bid of XAF 8.722 billion for Feicom’s Central Region office at Mimetala.
Do Tanzania and Cameroon qualify for China’s zero-tariff policy?
Yes. Both have diplomatic relations with China and fall under the 53-country scheme in force since 1 May 2026.
Sources: The Citizen; Daily News (Tanzania); The Rio Times; Yicai Global; Business in Cameroon, Feicom award; Business in Cameroon, zero tariffs; Business in Cameroon, INS trade data; Xinhua, Kribi port.
