Changsha: For Huang Zinan, an ideal day begins with a blooming Kenyan rose, the aroma of Ethiopian coffee brewing, and Tanzanian fish gliding through her living room tank, a lifestyle she's striving to introduce to more Chinese households. At the ongoing China-Africa Economic and Trade Expo in Changsha, capital of central China's Hunan Province, Huang, chairwoman of Hunan Xiyue International Trade Co., Ltd., unveiled her latest offerings. Her three booths featured fresh-cut roses and avocados from Kenya, alongside ornamental fish from Tanzania.
According to Namibia Press Agency, her company is among thousands of firms from China and across Africa participating in the expo, all aiming to bring the continent's goods to China's vast and increasingly globally minded consumer market. Huang currently collaborates with seven flower farms in Kenya, shipping freshly cut blooms to more than a dozen Chinese cities. Her imported avocados are also gaining traction, recently featured in a trial run at a popular fruit tea chain in Changsha.
Huang remarked on the popularity of Kenyan flowers, known for their large blooms, rich variety, and long vase life, among Chinese consumers. She highlighted the enormous market potential for avocados, appealing to health-conscious buyers and fitting perfectly into beverages, salads, and fitness diets. Huang's efforts have blossomed as China continues to open its markets wider to Africa, fostering mutual growth amid rising global protectionism and a slowdown in traditional markets.
China has been Africa's largest trading partner for 16 consecutive years by the end of 2024. The total trade value between China and Africa increased from less than 100 billion yuan (about 14 billion U.S. dollars) in 2000 to 2.1 trillion yuan in 2024, registering an average annual growth rate of 14.2 percent.
Across the exhibition hall, the aroma of roasted Ethiopian coffee mingled with the pungency of Rwandan chili sauce. Vibrant colors filled every corner, offering visitors a sensory journey through Africa's rich soil, artisanal craftsmanship, and growing economic potential. For Chahalane Houmadi Charif, director of Mayecha Corporation, a Comorian company specializing in clove, vanilla, and ylang-ylang essential oils, the journey to China proved rewarding.
Charif, initially worried that his small business might be overlooked, found unexpected support from the expo organizers, who helped him connect with interested Chinese companies and entrepreneurs. One of them was Yang Daiyu, a businessman who operates a chain of traditional Chinese medicine clinics. Yang and Charif quickly reached a preliminary cooperation agreement. Yang expressed interest in sourcing plant-based oils from Africa, hoping the cooperation can also help bring traditional Chinese massage to the African market.
As China advances its high-level opening-up, a growing number of African products are entering the Chinese market, appealing to over 400 million middle-income consumers seeking organic, globally sourced goods. China imported 15.83 billion yuan worth of agricultural goods from Africa in the first five months of 2025. Imports of coffee, cocoa beans, and frozen strawberries surged by 145.7 percent, 88.6 percent, and 82 percent, respectively, according to Chinese customs data.
Che Dong from Shandong-based Weihai Huatan Supply Chain Management Co., Ltd., noted the steady increase in both the variety and volume of African imports over the past few years. The company will soon receive its first batch of Tanzanian honey, about 10 tonnes, entering China duty-free and sold in local stores.
Addressing the expo's opening ceremony, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi pledged China's efforts to further open up to Africa by signing more economic partnership deals and encouraging the import of more African goods. Since last December, China has offered zero-tariff treatment for 100 percent tariff lines to all the least developed countries, including 33 African countries that have diplomatic relations with China. Ahead of the expo, China signaled its readiness to extend this policy to all 53 African nations with which it has diplomatic ties.
Beyond favorable tariffs, Chinese officials and companies are actively promoting African products and boosting their popularity among Chinese consumers. In Hunan, local authorities are combining offline engagement with e-commerce, a popular promotional approach in a country where 974 million people were shopping online by the end of 2024. Over 200 African products are now featured in a shopping season campaign launched in April and running through June, expected to reach millions of online consumers.
Wang Yaohua, chairman of Hunan Shea Biotechnology Co., Ltd., highlighted China's manufacturing prowess in boosting the competitiveness of African products in the Chinese market. His company purchases nearly 2 million yuan worth of plant and food ingredients from Africa annually to produce various products such as hand creams and facial masks.
Looking ahead, Huang Zinan plans to expand into processing, turning avocados into cooking oil and flowers into essential oils and personal care products. "Through us, I hope more Chinese consumers can come to know African products and better understand the continent," Huang added.