China is trying to win over Africa in the global trade war
As America slaps tariffs on African goods, it is offering zero duties
At China Mall, a vast supermarket in Kampala, Uganda’s capital, Rose Ahurra picks up a small turquoise squirrel. The toy flashes as she puts it in a trolley laden with towels, clothes, containers and an air fryer. The purchases indicate her place in the Ugandan middle class, which has flocked to China Mall since it opened earlier this year. “The prices are fair and I no longer have to go to lots of individual shops,” she explains.
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This article appeared in the Middle East & Africa section of the print edition under the headline “Free trade with Chinese characteristics”
From the June 21st 2025 edition
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