During the 2024 Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, China and the Republic of Congo signed an agreement on the import of Poria cocos from the Republic of Congo to China. Starting from May 1, 2026, China fully implemented a zero-tariff policy for 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic relations, bringing unprecedented policy support to trade in characteristic agricultural products between China and Africa. Poria cocos from Africa is crossing mountains and seas, successfully building a “bridge to prosperity” for mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation between the peoples of China and Africa.
China’s bacterial strain technology takes root in Africa
At Guoling Technology Co., Ltd. in Jingzhou Miao and Dong Autonomous County, Hunan Province, Chairman Li Huanguo shows Poria cocos cocoa brittle—a newly produced, highly-processed product—to Poria cocos growers in the Republic of Congo via a high-definition video call. “Look, this is made from the first batch of imported high-quality Poria cocos raw materials. It fully meets international standards!”
“This is not just a product, but the result of China’s technology taking root and flourishing in Africa. Once your Poria cocos reaches a stable output, you can directly supply the global market and drive local economic development,” Li Huanguo says.
On the other side of the screen, in a Poria cocos planting base in the Republic of Congo, sunlight filters through sparse trees onto soft red soil. A Chinese technical expert squats between rows of fields, guiding local farmers step by step. “Remember, the inoculum needs to be kept away from light and kept moist. The key to field management is controlling temperature and humidity.” The farmers around him held their breath, repeating his movements step by step.
Traditionally, the planting of Poria cocos, a major medicinal and edible material in China, relies on pine resources. The Republic of Congo in Africa possesses abundant pine forest resources, providing a natural advantage for large-scale Poria cocos planting. With keen perception of the opportunities presented by China-Africa cooperation, Li Huanguo introduced the Jingzhou Poria cocos bacterial strain technology to Africa and established a standardized planting base through technology export.
“By combining China’s mature Poria cocos planting technology with local resources, we have not only solved the problem of scarce pine resources in China, but also opened up new channels for African people to increase income.” Li Huanguo said that in February 2026, Guoling Group signed a three-year letter of intent with a company in the Republic of Congo for the purchase of 3,000 metric tons of Poria cocos. Through the “company + farmer” model, it has involved more than 1,000 local farmers in Poria cocos planting, increasing average annual income by nearly RMB10,000 per person.
This “overseas planting + import supervision” model has contributed to a virtuous cycle of complementarity and coexistence between the Chinese and African Poria cocos industries. The high-quality Poria cocos raw materials from Africa effectively alleviate the resource pressure on domestic industrial development. Furthermore, Jingzhou, known as the “Hometown of Poria Cocos in China”, leverages its globally leading bacterial strain selection and deep processing technologies to transform the raw materials from Africa into high-value-added products.
“We are developing a closed-loop industrial chain featuring ‘African raw material supply + Chinese technology R&D + international market sales’, allowing the peoples of China and Africa to benefit from industrial development,” Li Huanguo stated.
Striving together for mutually beneficial and win-win cooperation
Jingzhou is the largest Poria cocos trading center in China. The planting area of Poria cocos reaches 30,000 mu (2,000 hectares). Its annual trading volume accounts for over 70% of the country’s total, and its exports account for two-thirds of the global market. In 2025, the comprehensive output value of the Poria cocos industrial chain reached RMB10,073 million.
As a new generation leader in Jingzhou’s Poria cocos industry, Li Huanguo leads Guoling Group to leverage the advantageous zero-tariff policy to import high-quality African Poria cocos for deep processing. To meet diverse global market demands, the team is developing health products such as Poria cocos health tea and ready-to-eat Poria cocos paste in French packaging, promoting TCM culture globally.
Africa, with abundant resources and enormous development potential, has become an important trading partner of Huaihua. According to Huaihua Customs, from 2022 to 2025, Huaihua’s imports and exports with Africa climbed from RMB640 million to RMB1.85 billion, an average annual growth of 42.4%; the number of countries with which Huaihua has actual economic and trade exchanges increased from 44 to 49. In the first four months of this year, Huaihua’s imports and exports with Africa reached RMB81.72 million.
Good policies can play their role only when enterprises understand and utilize them effectively. Since the zero-tariff policy took effect on May 1, Huaihua Customs immediately reviewed the list of key commodities (including Poria cocos and chromite) and enterprises eligible for preferential treatment based on the traded commodities with Africa. A consultation window for trade with Africa was established to provide “point-to-point” policy interpretation and information on preferential treatment for enterprises, enabling them to understand and benefit from relevant policies.
“China’s full implementation of the zero-tariff policy for 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic relations will provide policy benefits for Huaihua to expand its trade with Africa,” said Li Chun, Deputy Director of Huaihua Customs. He added that Huaihua Customs will exert precise efforts, go all out to ensure the effective implementation of the policy, and help enterprises utilize the policy to expand imports, reduce costs, and enhance market competitiveness. Simultaneously, it will continue to support Huaihua International Land Port in making good use of sea-real intermodal transport and other logistics modes, provide more efficient logistics channels for trade with Africa, implement various preferential policies, and contribute to the high-quality development of Huaihua’s foreign trade.
Currently, Jingzhou is vigorously promoting the diversified development of the Poria cocos industry and expanding the Poria cocos health industry. It has launched Poria cocos dishes such as Oil Tea Fish with Poria Cocos, Chicken Soup with Poria Cocos, and Pork Ribs with Waxberry and Poria Cocos and developed more than 320 kinds of Poria cocos products, including pharmaceuticals, food, and cosmetics, which are sold in over 10 countries and regions.
“Our goal is to transform Jingzhou from the ‘Hometown of Poria Cocos in China’ to the ‘World Capital of Poria cocos’,” said Li Huanguo. He added that in the future, the company will continue to deepen cooperation with Africa and countries involved in the Belt and Road Initiative and make the Poria cocos industry a golden link for the common prosperity of the Chinese and African people.
（Translated by Professor Yu Jie）