In the first quarter of 2026, China became the main export market for Rwanda, accounting for 26% of Rwandan exports, up from less than 5% during the same period in 2025, reports France 24.
This dramatic change is primarily due to China’s removal of tariffs on nearly all Rwandan products, thereby facilitating access to a market of 1.4 billion consumers.
However, according to Aurore Bayoud’s report, actual access to the Chinese market now depends less on tariffs and more on Rwandan exporters’ ability to meet the strict sanitary standards imposed by China.