The sourness of South African wine, the sweetness of Beninese pineapple, the richness and bitterness of Ethiopian coffee, and the spiciness of Rwandan chili... Since May 1st, China has fully implemented zero tariff measures on 53 African countries that have diplomatic relations with China. Countless flavors from Africa are taking advantage of the policy to float onto the Chinese people's dining tables. The trade spanning thousands of miles adds a unique taste to life. Acid is the sediment of time. The ancient granite soil and Mediterranean climate shape the "high acid balance, bold yet exquisite" taste of South African wine - warm fruity aromas wrapped in mineral sensations, bright but not flashy acidity. This "acidity" is a special symbol of South African wine. The grape harvest season has passed, and the workshop of Demesto Winery in Cape Town, South Africa is still running non-stop. Bottles of red wine are cleaned, filled, sealed, and labeled, many of which are about to be sent to China. The history of South African grape wine can be traced back to 1659, making it the oldest in the New World wine regions, "said Steffi Lyle, the manager in charge of international markets at the winery, proudly. We have been in the Chinese market for almost 17 years. ”Lyle said. In recent years, the frequency of red wine appearing on Chinese dining tables has been increasing. However, due to factors such as tariffs and transportation costs, the sales of South African wine in China are far lower than those of European wine. The zero tariff policy has shown Lyle a turning point. She believes that after the cancellation of tariffs, not only will prices become more competitive, but the entire chain, including transportation and importers, will also benefit. I believe that on the shelves of China, South African wine will be more popular. Sweetness is the fruit of hope. Benin pineapple is sweet but not sour, known as the "sweet bread". The inconspicuous pineapple is an important industry in the West African country of Benin. The annual output of 450000 tons not only contributes 1.2% of Benin's gross domestic product, but also feeds tens of thousands of fruit farmers. In the past, pineapple plantation owner Tetchebenannion Rammondo Clevo always did not want a good harvest. Because the harvest often brings not joy, but the helplessness of watching piles of pineapples rot in the ground. In the local market, so many pineapples cannot be sold at all, but fortunately they can be exported to China now. As early as 2023, Benin pineapples obtained market access in China and became a "star product" at the following year's China International Import Expo, signing orders worth millions of dollars. Now, at the age of 55, Lanmando Klewo has expanded his plantation from less than 1 hectare to nearly 3 hectares, and has also created employment for over 200 people. The zero tariff policy means greater opportunities. In March of this year, at the launch ceremony of pineapple exports to China held in the main pineapple producing area of Alada City, the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of Benin, Cosi Gasdon Dosuhui, said that this measure has opened up important prospects for modernizing Benin's agriculture, creating employment, and improving people's livelihoods. The sweetness on consumers' tongues is also the livelihood of fruit farmers. In every 'sweet bread', there is a family's longing for the future. Alcohol is the reward of perseverance. Ethiopia is the hometown of Arabica coffee, producing 600000 tons of coffee annually. Over 25 million people make a living in the coffee industry, accounting for about one-fifth of the country's population. Coffee is the most important export product of this country and a source of income for countless households. Tesfaye Gabulu grew up on the plateau and has seen too many farmers carrying carefully crafted coffee beans down the mountain, queuing up in front of the purchasing station, and ultimately receiving rewards far less than the hard work they put in. International price fluctuations, changing climate, and insufficient local processing capacity - it is difficult to get good prices for good beans, which is a difficult problem for local farmers to solve. The continued opening up of the Chinese market has brought about a turning point. The orders are increasing year by year, and AWO Coffee Company, operated by Gabroo, also prioritizes supplying to China. He said, 'Currently, almost all of our coffee beans are exported to China.' With stable orders, the company can offer higher prices to small farmers when purchasing and hire more people during the picking season. China's implementation of zero tariffs on Ethiopian coffee has given Gabriel more opportunities and confidence to build a roasting factory in the suburbs of the capital Addis Ababa. The demand is increasingly strong, and more and more Chinese companies are taking the initiative to go to the source of their products. Changsha Sandun Half Coffee Co., Ltd. has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with the Egyptian side to open up a direct procurement channel for rail sea intermodal transportation, extending the source procurement chain from Changsha all the way to the African Plateau. The general manager of the company, Wang Ling, said that Ethiopian coffee beans have always been loved by consumers and have received very good market feedback. The company plans to continue expanding its direct procurement scale to benefit both farmers and consumers. As the number of orders from China becomes increasingly stable, the hard work of Ethiopian coffee farmers is gradually turning into visible income. Laziness is the courage to create. Luwangan Herman Uwezheimana studied in China for many years and started trading between the two countries after returning to China in 2018. The doctor, who graduated from the Ecological Environment Research Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, had an idea: we should not only introduce Chinese goods, but also sell Rwandan goods. Use what you have learned to generate foreign exchange for the country and bring benefits to more Rwandan people. In 2021, dried chili peppers from Rwanda were granted export access to China. Uwizeimana sees business opportunities: the spiciness of dried chili peppers in Rwanda exceeds that of ordinary dried chili peppers, while China has a huge consumer group that is not satisfied with spicy food. But chili is a niche crop in Rwanda, and not many farmers cultivate it. Uwezeyimana is determined to personally demonstrate in the fields, taking the lead in selecting land, breeding, and drying. However, the quality of the chili peppers collected in the first year varied greatly, and only one container was loaded in the end. Uwezeyimana did not give up. He taught farmers step by step about planting and pest control, went door-to-door to collect fresh chili peppers, and monitored the drying and processing in factories, stabilizing the quality and establishing trust. In the second year, the export volume of dried chili peppers jumped to ten containers. Nowadays, Uwizeimana's company exports 200 to 300 tons of dried chili peppers to China annually, with an expanded planting area of 300 hectares. What he learned in China was not only knowledge and technology, but also the courage to discover and seize opportunities. Spicy not only stimulates the taste buds, but also inspires the courage to set out and take the lead. Taste is the least translatable language in the world. When African flavors appear in the cups, bowls, and dishes of the Chinese people, and when the Chinese market becomes a great opportunity for Africa, this shared destiny across mountains and seas has the most authentic footnote. (Looking into the New Era)