Since the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and South Sudan, bilateral economic and trade exchanges have grown steadily and become increasingly close. In recent years, due to disruptions in the export pipelines for South Sudanese crude oil, among other factors, the total volume of bilateral trade has shown an overall downward trend. According to statistics from the General Administration of Customs of China, bilateral trade in 2025 stood at $419 million, a year-on-year decrease of 10.1%, with China’s imports from South Sudan reaching $306 million (a year-on-year increase of 1.9%) and exports to South Sudan amounting to $113 million (a year-on-year decrease of 31.7%).
In September 2024, China and South Sudan signed the Framework Agreement on Economic Partnership for Shared Development, which provides long-term, stable, and predictable institutional guarantees for bilateral economic and trade cooperation. Starting from May 1, 2026, China has implemented a zero-tariff policy for all 53 African countries with which it has diplomatic ties. This will further create vast opportunities for products from South Sudan and other African nations to enter the Chinese market, effectively promoting South Sudan’s economic diversification.
Oil revenue remains a major pillar of South Sudan’s fiscal income, and oil cooperation continues to be a key area of China-South Sudan economic and trade collaboration. The 1/2/4 and 3/7 oil blocks, developed under the partnership of China National Petroleum Corporation, achieved operational production of 1.31 million tons and 2.29 million tons respectively in the first half of 2026, playing a vital supporting role in South Sudan's economic and social development.
As of June 2026, approximately 100 Chinese-funded enterprises had registered in South Sudan, with business operations spanning petroleum, airport infrastructure, housing construction, roads and bridges, telecommunications, retail, and other sectors. The Headquarter of the Bank of South Sudan, undertaken by a Chinese contractor, has been successfully completed and put into operation. The Juba—Rumbek Road Upgrade Project was resumed in January 2026, and the Juba International Airport Air Traffic Control Operation and Maintenance Project was officially launched in May 2026. Cooperation with local MTN and Zain on telecommunications network projects is progressing steadily, yielding fruitful outcomes in the field of infrastructure development.
China-aided projects form an integral part of bilateral economic and trade cooperation. Over the 15 years since the establishment of diplomatic ties, Chinese-aided projects such as the South Sudan Air Traffic Management Project, the Jur River Bridge Project, the Digital Forensic Laboratory Project, and the Borehole Drilling and Water Supply Project have all been completed and commissioned. The China-aided Project of Phase II of Expansion and Modernization of Juba Teaching Hospital is currently under construction. In addition, China has provided multiple batches of agricultural machinery and emergency humanitarian supplies, as well as training programs in human resources. These efforts have effectively improved South Sudan’s infrastructure and people’s livelihoods, earning widespread acclaim from various sectors in South Sudan and underscoring the profound friendship and sound cooperative relations between the two countries.