China, Seychelles sign arrangement on zero tariff, market-opening

China

China, Seychelles sign arrangement on zero tariff, market-opening

2026-09-12 17:04 Last Updated At：17:47

China and Seychelles signed the Arrangement on Early Harvest on September 10, 2026, advancing their joint economic partnership. China will give zero-tariff treatment for Seychelles, and Seychelles is to further open the market to China, according to the Ministry of Commerce.

The ministry said that China will continue to promote the negotiation and signing of the agreement of China-Africa Economic Partnership for Shared Development with other African countries, and implement its 100-percent-tariff-line zero-tariff treatment for all 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic ties, so as to help relevant countries share China's super-large market and broad development opportunities, and provide long-term, stable and predictable institutional guarantees for China-Africa trade and investment.

Starting May 1 this year, China expanded its zero-tariff treatment to cover all 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic ties, thus becoming the first major economy to provide unilateral, full-coverage zero-tariff treatment to all African countries with diplomatic ties, and to all least developed countries with diplomatic relations.

The move created new opportunities for Africa to boost exports and industrialization amid the global headwinds of protectionism.

New-home sales in Beijing pick up since October

Beijing's new-home market has been brisk since October, with higher turnover.

In some real estate sales offices, customers intending to buy a new home packed the reception areas.

Some property offices receive 200 to 300 groups of clients a day.

"We've found an 80-square-meter apartment we like and plan to sign a letter of intent to purchase it," said a local resident.

Many new-home developments have seen an increase in inquiries and in-person visits, with visitor numbers at some projects nearly doubling compared with September.

"Recently, some prospective buyers have come to view the development in the morning, shown strong interest, and returned that afternoon to sign preliminary letters of intent to purchase. Others have already reached out to us on WeChat to ask about the project's sales progress. We can feel that the market is heating up," said Xiang Xue, a real estate salesperson.

Latest data show that from October 1 to 8, transactions of newly built commercial housing in Beijing totaled 128,400 square meters, up 163 percent year on year.

"Buyers' enthusiasm has risen noticeably, helping turn more prospective interest into actual home purchases," said Wu Jing, director of Tsinghua University's real estate research center.