China will negotiate and sign a new economic pact with Africa that will get rid of all tariffs on the 53 African states it has diplomatic ties with, it said, a move that could benefit middle-income nations.

The zero-tariff move, when implemented, will be an extension of the deal made last year for China to drop tariffs on goods from 33 African nations classified as "least developed".

China says it will sign a new economic pact with Africa that will get rid of all tariffs on the 53 African states it has diplomatic ties with – a move that could benefit middle-income nations as