但愿人长久

Zero-tariff policies, systemic support help African countries expand exports, upgrade industry_我的网站

大明王朝1566

A | 据俄媒报道，近期拍摄到一架正在组装的新型空中加油机伊尔-78MK-90A，这架新制造的加油机很可能是出口项目的一部分。但多方消息推测，中国是最有可能的客户，计划向俄罗斯采购20架伊尔-78MK-90A加油机，交付可能从2027-2028年。目前，这个消息并没有得到确认，如果真的是采购俄制加油机，出于何种目标。当初，从乌克兰引进3架伊尔-78加油机，一是空军现役的加油机队缺少，轰油-6加油机可供油量约18吨，只能给1架苏-30重型战机或者2架歼-8加油，而伊尔-78加油机在伊尔-76运输机改进，可供油量约48吨。

An exhibitor showcases Ethiopian coffee beans at the 2026 Dianchi International Coffee Culture Carnival in Kunming, Southwest China's Yunnan Province, on August 9, 2026. Photo: VCG It has been three months since China becomes the first major economy to grant unilateral, comprehensive zero-tariff treatment to all African countries with which it maintains diplomatic relations, as well as all least developed countries having diplomatic ties with China. Effective May 1, China extended the favorable policy to 53 African countries. Two African diplomats stationed in China have shared with the Global Times about the benefits of China's policy, particularly in trade of coffee, as well as China's exemplary role in promoting cooperation among Global South countries.
Aziza Geleta, Deputy Head of Mission of the Ethiopian Embassy in China Photo: Courtesy of the Ethiopian Embassy in China

Aziza Geleta, Deputy Head of Mission of the Ethiopian Embassy in China Photo: Courtesy of the Ethiopian Embassy in China Aziza Geleta, Deputy Head of Mission of the Ethiopian Embassy in China, told the Global Times that the trade policy demonstrates China's commitment to strengthening mutually beneficial economic cooperation with Africa.
For Ethiopia, which is believed to be the birthplace of coffee, this initiative presents significant opportunities.
"Coffee is not only our leading agricultural export but also an integral part of our cultural heritage. For centuries, Ethiopians have preserved a unique coffee tradition, where families and neighbors gather to prepare and share coffee in a ceremony that symbolizes hospitality and friendship in community," Geleta said.
With improved market access, Ethiopian coffee exports to China are expected to grow substantially. China has become one of the world's fastest-growing coffee consumption markets and is now Ethiopia's third-largest coffee export destination, Geleta noted.
In 2025, China's coffee industry was valued at 354.9 billion yuan ($52.63 billion), up 13.3 percent year on year. Annual per capita consumption rose from 22.24 cups to 28.57 cups, while the value of coffee bean imports increased by 73.9 percent year on year, according to the 2026 China Urban Coffee Development Report released in July.
The Ethiopian diplomat believes China's zero-tariff policy will enhance the competitiveness of Ethiopian coffee, increase export earnings, and encourage greater investment across the coffee value chain, including processing, packaging, branding, logistics and quality certification.
Since July 20 this year, China has granted full market access to coffee beans meeting quarantine requirements from all African countries that have diplomatic ties with China. The full market access is regarded as a landmark achievement in China-Africa cooperation on agricultural market access.
Geleta said that Ethiopia warmly welcomes this landmark policy. Having joined China's zero-tariff arrangement in 2024, the East African country has already witnessed its positive impact on bilateral trade and economic cooperation.
"The policy goes beyond tariff preferences. It demonstrates a practical commitment to South-South cooperation based on mutual respect, shared development and win-win partnership," Geleta noted.
It creates new opportunities for African countries to diversify exports, strengthen productive capacity and participate more actively in global value chains, the diplomat said.
As members of the Global South, Ethiopia and China share a common vision of promoting inclusive and sustainable development. This zero-tariff initiative establishes a valuable benchmark for building agricultural trade rules that better reflect the development needs of emerging economies, she noted.
It also complements the objectives of the FOCAC and the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) by supporting greater regional integration and international market access, said Geleta. AfCFTA is a flagship initiative of the African Union designed to transform the continent into the world's largest free-trade area, per the AU.
From Geleta's observation, the market access granted by China is not merely a trade policy, but also a practical example of development cooperation that benefits ordinary people.
Coffee farming sustains millions of Ethiopian households, so greater access to China's market bears direct significance for poverty alleviation, rural advancement and national economic transformation. The policies foster steady demand for Ethiopian coffee, increasing farmer's earnings and bolstering rural community resilience, she said. Such gains closely echo the China-proposed Global Development Initiative, which emphasizes poverty reduction, food security, inclusive growth and sustainable development.
The diplomat said Ethiopia welcomes Chinese investment in agricultural processing, cold-chain logistics, food manufacturing and value-added industries in Ethiopia. Such investment will support industrialization, technology transfer and job creation while strengthening resilient supply chains, Geleta added.
Ambassador of Lesotho to China Mapaballo Lydia Mile Photo: Courtesy of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Lesotho in China

Ambassador of Lesotho to China Mapaballo Lydia Mile Photo: Courtesy of the Embassy of the Kingdom of Lesotho in China Ambassador of Lesotho to China Mapaballo Lydia Mile told the Global Times that the zero-tariff policy since May is "a direct, tangible deliverable of the commitments made under the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) framework. It transitions the rhetoric of 'win-win cooperation' into practical policy."
Mile said the policy provides a structured, phased approach to reducing trade difficulties and securing institutional guarantees. "It perfectly embodies the strong, historical foundations built through FOCAC over the years to forge a modernized, forward-looking economic future."
Amid comments saying that African countries still face challenges beyond tariffs, including logistics, standards and market-access capacity, Ambassador Mile of Lesotho said that tariff reduction is a necessary condition for trade expansion; however, more conditions are required to reach deals.
Take Lesotho, a landlocked country, for instance. The country faces acute logistical hurdles and high transport costs. Complying with sanitary and phytosanitary measures, as well as quality standards remains a massive challenge for many enterprises in Lesotho.
To fully benefit from the favorable tariff policy, Mile pointed to systemic technical support for African exporters, targeted investments in agro-processing, and enhanced trade facilitation.
"Initiatives recently introduced by China Customs, such as the 'Green Channel 2.0' for agricultural products and expanding authorized economic operator mutual recognition capacity building, are exactly the types of institutional support needed to overcome the non-tariff barriers," she elaborated.
。所以，当年引进加油机，是迫不得已的做法。伊尔-78MK-90A加油机是新型大型空中加油机，在伊尔-76MD-90A运输机深度改进，配备4台PS-90A-76涡扇发动机，最大起飞重量达210吨。记住，不再是出口版老款D-30KP-2发动机，推力增强了33%，油耗还降低不少。

B | 这种新发动机的最大推力14.5吨，与涡扇-20的推力相接近。其实，俄新加油机与运油-20B相比，并不出色，而运-20B的最大起飞重量220吨，还多了10吨。采购20架俄制伊尔-78MK-90A重型加油机，很可能出于两种情况。这是本人的猜测，一来，运油-20系列加油机目前产量正在爬坡。可是，咱们空军发展太快了，歼-7和歼-8这类轻型加油机都退役，重型加油机数量多了，加油机不够用了。引入俄制加油机，就能够在2-3年内增加20架这种加油机。有说法，总金额30亿美元，价格也不算太贵，趁着俄罗斯武器滞销，抄底其装备。