The Deputy Speaker of Parliament, Rt. Hon. Thomas Tayebwa, expressed gratitude to the Government of China for granting duty-free and quota-free market access to Ugandan products under 98 tariff lines. However, he noted that Uganda’s biggest challenge remains meeting the required export quality standards. While efforts are underway to address this, he appealed for technical support from China to help Uganda meet these standards in the short term.
He made this appeal during the visit of His Excellency, the Vice Chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference and Chairman of the Central Committee of the China Zhi Gong Party, to Uganda.
Uganda’s exports to China include fish, skins and hides, timber, and coffee. However, these exports remain significantly lower than imports from China, resulting in a substantial trade imbalance. In 2024, Uganda exported goods worth $54 million to China, while imports stood at $1.1 billion. This trade deficit is a growing concern, and both countries are working to strengthen bilateral trade relations and increase Uganda’s exports.
