TANZANIA, June 1 -- TANZANIAS trade with China expanded last year, but rising imports continued to outpace export growth, widening the overall trade gap.

According to the 2026/27 budget speech delivered by Industry and Trade Minister Judith Kapinga, exports to China rose by 15.7 per cent to 512.6 million US dollars from 442.96 million US dollars a year earlier.

The trade, Ms Kapiga told the House, was supported by preferential market access under which Tanzania benefits from a 98 per cent tariff exemption on goods entering the Chinese market. Key export products included minerals and concentrates, fish fillets, sesame seeds, tobacco, cotton, coffee and sesame oil.

Despite the improvement in export performance, the trade relationship re...