Almost all goods imported by China from least developed countries will be exempt from tariffs next year, according to the Tariff Implementation Plan for 2015, approved by the country’s State Council this week.

The 2015 Plan stated that 97 percent of Chinese imports from 24 nations, including Mozambique and Guinea-Bissau, would enjoy “the status of zero tariff”.

For other 14 countries, including Angola and East Timor, 95 percent of what China imports will be duty-free.

The plan will come into force on January 1, the Tariff Regulation Committee of the State Council said in a statement.

According to People’s Daily, China’s official newspaper, China has gradually started to implement zero tariffs on some imports from least developed countries since 2001. The daily said China became the world’s largest importer of goods from these nations in 2008.