China's Hunan reports 6.3 pct rise in exports to Africa in Jan-April

 In the first four months of 2025, the value of exports from central China's Hunan Province to African countries totaled 8.65 billion yuan (about 1.2 billion U.S. dollars), an increase of 6.3 percent year on year, local customs authorities said on Friday.

The mechanical and electrical products Hunan exported to African countries accounted for 53.2 percent of that total export value, coming in at 4.6 billion yuan, which was up 11.3 percent year on year. "New trio" products -- electric vehicles, solar batteries and lithium-ion batteries -- saw rapid exports to Africa, increasing 747.1 percent year on year to total 270 million yuan, according to data from Changsha Customs.

Since December 2024, China has implemented zero-tariff policies for the 33 least-developed countries in Africa. And during the first four months of this year, Hunan's imports from those 33 countries totaled 3.68 billion yuan, up 27.1 percent year on year.

South Africa is the largest trading partner of Hunan with Africa in the period. Hunan's trade with South Africa alone accounted for more than one-fifth of its total foreign trade with Africa during the period. ■