Southern Africa has one of the largest Chinese communities on the continent. Johannesburg is the region’s trading and aviation hub. Chinese investment and jobs are concentrated in mining (Zambia’s Copperbelt, Zimbabwe, Namibia), garment factories (South Africa, Lesotho, Eswatini) and wholesale and retail trade in the capitals. Most countries in the region have no direct flights from China, and Johannesburg is one of the most common transit points.
On security: as of October 2026, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) rates most countries in the region blue (low risk) or yellow (medium risk), but Johannesburg is orange (high risk) and Eswatini is red (extremely high risk). Check the latest advisories on the China Consular Service Network before you travel.
Main sectors and cities
| Country | Main cities | Main sectors for Chinese residents |
|---|---|---|
| South Africa | Johannesburg, Pretoria, Cape Town, Durban; Newcastle (garment factories) | Wholesale and retail, import-export malls, textiles and garments, restaurants; close to 300 Chinese companies (March 2026) [4] |
| Zambia | Lusaka, Ndola, Kitwe, Livingstone | Construction, copper mining, infrastructure, manufacturing, agriculture [1] |
| Angola | Luanda, plus projects in Benguela, Lobito and other cities | Contracting; trade in appliances, hardware, building materials and daily goods; farming and fishing [2] |
| Mozambique | Maputo, Matola, Beira | Investment, trade, construction |
| Zimbabwe | Harare, Bulawayo, Gweru, Kwekwe | Lithium, gold and chrome mining; construction; trade |
| Namibia | Windhoek, Walvis Bay, Oshikango in the north | Trade in daily goods and building materials, real estate and construction, farming, restaurants |
| Botswana | Gaborone, Francistown, Maun | Import-export, wholesale and retail, contracting, restaurants, clinics |
| Malawi, Lesotho, Eswatini | Lilongwe, Blantyre; Maseru; Matsapha | Wholesale and retail, restaurants; garment factories |
For details, see the South Africa guide and the Zambia guide. Population estimates for each country are in the table below this text and on the Chinese population in Africa page.
Flights from China
According to MOFCOM’s 2025 Zambia guide, there are no direct flights between Lusaka and China. Common routings go via Dubai, Johannesburg (from Beijing or Shenzhen), Nairobi, Addis Ababa or Doha, and Johannesburg handles about 70% of Zambia’s international transit traffic [1]. Luanda in Angola has scheduled flights to Johannesburg, Addis Ababa, Dubai and other hubs [2]. Routes and frequencies change often, so check with the airline when booking.
SADC and regional trade arrangements
- The Southern African Development Community (SADC) has 16 member states. Besides the 10 countries in this region it includes DR Congo, Tanzania, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles and Comoros [5].
- SADC launched its free trade area in 2008, with members removing duties on 85% of imports from each other and applying a common tariff regime to non-members. The Southern African Customs Union (SACU: South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and Eswatini) applies zero tariffs to goods traded among its members [3].
- The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) started trading on 1 January 2021. As of January 2025, 54 of the African Union’s 55 members had signed it and 48 had ratified it [3].
- Since 1 December 2024 China has applied zero tariffs on 100% of tariff lines for 33 African least developed countries it has diplomatic ties with. From 1 May 2026 to 30 April 2028 it also applies zero tariffs, as preferential rates, to the other 20 African countries it has ties with [6]. Check China Customs notices for the products covered.
These arrangements cover member-state citizens and goods originating in member states. Chinese passport holders still need a separate visa and work permit for each country. Check the requirements with each country’s immigration department.
Security overview
| MFA risk level (as of October 2026) | Country or area |
|---|---|
| Red (extremely high risk) | Eswatini. On 25 August 2026 the MFA advised Chinese citizens not to travel there for now and told those already there to leave or move to safer areas such as South Africa, citing rampant telecom-fraud and online-gambling crime and very high crime risk [10] |
| Orange (high risk) | Johannesburg, South Africa [7]; seven provinces of Angola including Luanda, Benguela and Huambo [8]; Cabo Delgado province, Mozambique [9] |
| Yellow (medium risk) | The rest of South Africa, Angola and Mozambique; Lesotho |
| Blue (low risk) | Zambia, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Botswana, Malawi |
In September 2026 the Chinese Embassy in South Africa reported a series of kidnappings of Chinese nationals in Selby and Germiston, Johannesburg. The kidnappers targeted people running shops and liquor stores, striking during deliveries or near the shop [11]. For what to do after a robbery or kidnapping, see Consular protection and the 12308 hotline.
References
- Country (Region) Guide for Outward Investment and Cooperation: Zambia (2025 edition) (Ministry of Commerce of China, 2025)
- Country (Region) Guide for Outward Investment and Cooperation: Angola (2025 edition) (Ministry of Commerce of China, 2025)
- Country (Region) Guide for Outward Investment and Cooperation: South Africa (2025 edition) (Ministry of Commerce of China, 2025)
- Report on Ambassador Wu Peng’s remarks (China News Service, 24 March 2026)
- SADC Member States (SADC Secretariat, accessed October 2026)
- China to apply zero tariffs to all African countries with diplomatic ties from 1 May 2026 (Xinhua / gov.cn, 2026)
- China Consular Service Network: South Africa country profile and travel risk level (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, accessed October 2026)
- China Consular Service Network: Angola country profile and travel risk level (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, accessed October 2026)
- China Consular Service Network: Mozambique country profile and travel risk level (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, accessed October 2026)
- Chinese citizens advised not to travel to Eswatini for now (Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, 25 August 2026)
- Chinese Embassy in South Africa: warning on kidnappings of Chinese nationals (Chinese Embassy in South Africa, 6 September 2026)
Countries in this region
| Country | Chinese population (est.) | Year |
|---|---|---|
| South Africa | ~200,000–350,000 (estimate) | 2012–2015 |
| Zimbabwe | ~25,000–50,000 (growing) | 2024–2025 |
| Angola | ~20,000–50,000 (falling) | 2025 |
| Zambia | ~15,000–30,000 | 2014 (official) |
| Mozambique | ~6,500–20,000 | 2025 |
| Botswana | ~5,000–10,000 | 2025 |
| Lesotho | ~3,000–5,000 | 2020 |
| Namibia | ~2,000–4,000 | 2025 |
| Malawi | ~2,000–3,000 | 2025 |
| Eswatini | A few hundred | 2026 |