South Africa set for zero-tariff wine exports to China

By Hamish Graham

Published: 30 April, 2026

South African wine exported to China is set to benefit from zero-tariff access to the Chinese market. The agreement commences on 1 May 2026 and will last for an initial period of two years.

The deal sees South Africa join ‘preferential trade partners’ with China such as Chile, New Zealand and Australia who already benefit from a similar zero tariff arrangement when it comes to wine export.

Although a positive step for the country’s wine sector, challenges remain to boost the popularity of South African wine in the Chinese market. At present it accounts for only 1% of total export volume here, ranking in 17th place as a place of origin in terms of wine exported to China.

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Post-2028 trading arrangements remain unclear, though South African producers will look to seize the opportunity of improved access to the large consumer market over the next two years.

The new arrangements for wine are part of a wider change to China’s trade arrangements with Africa, with all but one African nation having import tariffs removed.

Stakeholder management and market access manager at South Africa Wine Christo Conradie believes the new deal is “effectively a market access reset for South Africa”.

She said: “Tariffs have long placed South African producers at a disadvantage relative to key competitors. Their removal creates a more level playing field and opens the door for renewed growth in China.”

Sioban Thompson, CEO of Wines of South Africa, believes the deal can allow for “deeper relationships with Chinese consumers and trade partners”, however, she noted: “Tariffs are only one part of the equation.

“To translate this opportunity into sustainable growth, the industry is well positioned to work collaboratively with importers, distributors and partners on the ground, supported by our regional office in the market, a clear growth strategy and continued investment in brand visibility and consumer education.”

China’s wine market has contracted in recent years – one-third of the size it was 5 years ago. Since trade has returned between China and Australia following a dispute between the countries, sales have yet to return to their pre-ban levels. As reported by Harpers, for the 12 months to June 2025 value sales to China from Australia sat at AUD$893mn. This compares to the sales peak of AUD$1.14bn for 2018.

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