“China is willing to continue to work with Morocco to firmly support each other on issues related to their respective core interests and promote the development of the China-Morocco strategic partnership,” said the Chinese president. Xi Jinpingduring his unofficial visit to the African country this week. Likewise, they will strengthen their ties to safeguard national sovereignty, security and stability.
During a meeting Mohamed VI Outside the country, he served as crown prince Moulay Hassan who received the Asian president on the plane at Casablanca airport with the highest honors, under the royal instructions of his father. Likewise, the sovereign sent the Moroccan prime minister, Aziz Akhannouchat the welcome ceremony.
The Alawite monarch has been undergoing medical checks and treatment in Paris since November 7. Despite this, last weekend he was spotted shopping at the Haussmann department store and Christian Dior house in the French capital.
With this welcome, the Moroccan media treated Moulay Hassan as Royal Highness and heir to the crown. The young man followed the same protocol with the Chinese president as his father with Emmanuel Macron in late October, although Xi Jinping’s trip was shorter, a technical stopover after the conclusion of his state visit to Brazil.
The North African heir thanked China for its valuable support during the Covid-19 crisis: “The Moroccan people will never forget it,” according to the Moroccan press agency MAP. During the pandemic, Beijing sent medical equipment, supplies and devices to Morocco. Indeed, King Mohamed VI was the first Moroccan citizen to receive the Chinese vaccine Sinopharm in 2021.
The key moment in relations between Morocco and China is the signing of the declaration of strategic partnership by King Mohamed VI and President Xi Jinping, on the occasion of the royal state visit in May 2016. Next came the travels of the Yassine Mansouriadvisor to the king and director of Moroccan intelligence services abroad. From there comes the Mohamed VI Technological City in Tangier, an ambitious industrial and smart city project.
Thanks to its good relations with Morocco, China is seeking to transfer some of its saturated sectors of activity in China, such as steel, consumer electronics, automobiles, shipbuilding and cement, without forgetting infrastructure.
Precisely, this month of November, the Moroccan National Railway Office (ONCF) rewarded the Chinese group Engineering abroad a civil engineering works contract worth 1,340 million dirhams (128 million euros) for the construction of the new high-speed rail line between Kenitra and Marrakech. This Chinese company, specializing in transport infrastructure, competed with the group formed by NGE Contracting and Guintolitwo subsidiaries of the French giant NGE.
Bilateral trade doubles
The Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs, Wang Yiwho accompanied President Xi Jinping during this trip, had already visited Rabat in December 2023, on the occasion of the 55th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations. At that time, they decided to increase the volume of trade. In fact, the Bilateral trade increased by 50% in recent years, making China Morocco’s third trading partner and its first economic ally in Asia.
Furthermore, Chinese tourist flows to Morocco have increased since Mohamed VI abolished the visa.
For its part, Rabat joined the Chinese initiative in November 2017. Belt and Roadthe vast infrastructure project that the Asian giant has designed to boost trade and connectivity in Asia, Europe and Africa. During this week’s visit, Moulay Hassan and Xi Jinping agreed to work together to “achieve greater progress in pragmatic cooperation in various areas as part of this initiative,” the president confirmed to Xinhua.
Chinese investments in the neighboring country have increased, particularly in the sectors of electric mobility, automobiles, renewable energies and infrastructure. During his last trip to China, the monarch did not miss the opportunity to sell his initiative aimed at promoting access of the Sahel States to the Atlantic Ocean thanks to Morocco-Nigeria gas pipeline.
Chinese companies are particularly interested in green energy, electric mobility, industry and construction. On the other hand, for Moroccans, the agri-food sector presents itself as a unique opportunity. Currently, more than 80 Chinese investment projects are under development in Morocco.
Sovereignty in the Sahara
Some companies even operate in the Western Sahara. The green technology company Imagine the energybased in Shanghai, supplies the French Engie turbines for a wind farm near Dakhla, which will power a major energy project desalination seawater dependent on the Moroccan government. As he assured the national press Didier Beaumontcommercial director of Envision Energy, this supply marks the company’s entry into the Moroccan market.
Of course, Rabat demands recognition of its sovereignty on Western Sahara. In fact, Morocco still boasts of having been the first Arab and African country to recognize the People’s Republic of Chinaand now he hopes that he will also support his autonomy plan, the Moroccan territorial project of annexation of the Sahara.
Springboard to Africa
It is obvious that behind this economic cooperation lies a geopolitical dimension. “Morocco is in a geostrategic position unique as a springboard between Europe and Africa, which makes it a key player “For anyone who wants to address these two areas (…) Morocco has something more to offer in terms of communication with these countries, cultural proximity and historical relations,” he said. Sun Shuzhongduring his mandate as ambassador in Rabat.
Every year, around forty Chinese delegations go to this Maghreb country, not only interested in its market, but also as a gateway to Africa and Europe. Thanks to its free trade agreements and its proximity to the two regions, Morocco offers Chinese companies considerable advantages in terms of market access and tax optimization. Exporting from Morocco to the continent or Europe allows them save on customs duties and shipping costs.
Morocco continues to chart its economic path with China to become a springboard for promoting Sino-African cooperation sought by the Asian country. It owns two banks in China, Attijariwafa in Beijing and Bank of Africa in Shanghai, which support Chinese companies that invest in Morocco and wish to develop their commercial and financial activities in Africa.
