China opens its market wider as Africa eyes major export boost

An exhibitor introduces Rwandan chili sauce products during the 4th China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, June 12, 2025. (Xinhua/Jin Mamengni)

BEIJING, May 6 (Xinhua) -- In the rolling, lush fields of Ibiza Village in Kayonza District, eastern Rwanda, farmers are busy cultivating red chili peppers. Growing demand from the Chinese market is likely to keep them even busier, thus bringing higher incomes.For hundreds of farmers in Kayonza, expanding chili exports to China is opening a viable path out of poverty, driven by China's zero-tariff policy and strong market demand. What began as a small farming operation has rapidly evolved into a life-changing opportunity for farmers, workers and exporters alike across the continent.