The Past and Present Life of “Foreign Specialties”丨The New Stage of an African Coffee Bean in China

Walking into the Asian and African Products Zone of the 9th China International Import Expo, the aroma of coffee hits your face. This year, for the first time, African coffee from Kenya, Ethiopia, and Rwanda appeared collectively as 'zero tariff'.

Starting from May 1, 2026, China will fully implement a zero-tariff policy with 53 African countries that have diplomatic relations with China. This means that the Kenyan coffee in your hands has traveled thousands of miles from the East African plateau to China, with lower costs and more affordable prices.

The story of this cup of coffee starts in East Africa:

The story begins in the highlands of East Africa. Legend has it that more than a thousand years ago, Ethiopian shepherds discovered that their sheep were extremely excited after eating certain red berries. The "roots" of coffee are in this land.

Coffee spread south from Ethiopia, taking root in the high-altitude volcanic soil of Kenya. The temperature difference between day and night and the fertile soil here give the coffee beans unique acidity and thickness.

Picking must be done by hand, and only ripe red fruits are selected. During the washing process, fruits that are not dense enough float on the water and are eliminated, while those that sink are the best.

Small batches, slow baking, keeping an eye on the heat in every pot. After baking, it is immediately filled with nitrogen to lock in freshness and lock the aroma into the bag. The moment you open the bag is the moment it really wakes up.

From the red soil of East Africa to the global dining table - now, zero tariffs have opened a new chapter, crossing the Indian Ocean and heading towards the world's largest consumer market. China is becoming a new stage for this bean - 40% of the coffee imported into China comes from Africa.

Behind a coffee bean, there is a bigger story. In the first nine months of this year, China-Africa trade volume reached US$312.11 billion, a year-on-year increase of 22%. At the CIIE, not only Kenyan coffee, but also Rwandan peppers, Zambian honey, and Benin pineapples—these African “local specialties”—are accelerating their entry into China through the zero-tariff fast lane, enriching the domestic market supply.

With its proactive opening up, China is providing a huge market to countries in the Global South.

This cup of coffee is not only a mellow taste, but also the warmth of a China-Africa community with a shared future.