A shipment of cashews from Ghana worth 2.44 million yuan (about $320,429) cleared customs duty-free at Zhoushan Port on July 24. It became the city's first import to benefit from China's zero-tariff policy for 20 African countries that have diplomatic relations with China but are not classified as least developed countries, since the measure took effect on May 1.

The preferential policy cut import duties by about 133,200 yuan. The importer, Zhejiang Huiying International Trading, said it plans to import 15,000 metric tons of cashews from Africa this year, with the tariff exemption reducing costs and supporting expanded sourcing and production.

To help companies benefit from the new policy, Zhoushan Customs introduced a mechanism allowing goods to be released under a guarantee before certificates of origin are issued. Once the certificates are obtained, importers can complete the procedures needed to receive the tariff preference. This arrangement helped avoid storage delays and additional port costs for earlier shipments.

Zhoushan Customs has also held policy briefings and one-on-one guidance to assist importers in understanding eligibility requirements and preparing the necessary documentation, while streamlining clearance procedures for African imports.

The first duty-free shipment comes amid growing trade between Zhoushan and Africa. In the first half of the year, the city's trade with African countries reached 11.85 billion yuan, up 37.2 percent year-on-year, driven by rising imports of aquatic products, textile raw materials, and other goods.