China-Africa trade falls 10 per cent on pandemic, commodities slump

Chinese customs data shows exports to the continent edged up 0.6 per cent in first 11 months, but imports from Africa plunged 23 per cent

Analysts say it was driven down by China’s reduced buying of raw materials and lower prices of key commodities such as oil and copper

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China’s exports to Africa rose 0.6 per cent from January to November, but imports from the continent shrank by 23.6 per cent. Photo: EPA-EFE

Published: 6:00am, 9 Dec 2020Updated: 6:00am, 9 Dec 2020

Trade between China and Africa fell by 10.6 per cent in the first 11 months from a year ago amid the pandemic, but analysts expect a rebound next year as key commodities like oil and copper recover.

Chinese customs data released on Monday showed two-way trade amounted to US$167.7 billion from January to November, driven down by lower commodity prices and a coronavirus-fuelled economic slump, according to analysts.

China’s exports to Africa edged up by 0.6 per cent to US$101.47 billion in the period from a year earlier. But China’s imports from Africa plunged 23.6 per cent to US$66.3 billion.

China’s two-way trade with South Africa, the continent’s most industrialised nation, also tumbled in the first 11 months, down 17 per cent to US$32.15 billion.

The numbers to November suggest China-Africa trade in 2020 will be well off last year’s level, which the Chinese commerce ministry said was US$208 billion.

Analysts attributed the falling trade figures to reduced imports of raw materials from the continent and a pandemic-induced slump in key commodities such as oil and copper. China is the biggest buyer of oil and metals such as cobalt and copper from Africa but its imports were reduced amid an economic slowdown, factory and port closures and restrictions on movement to curb the spread of the coronavirus.