Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China, descended the long staircase of the official plane on Friday a few minutes after landing at the Mohamed V international airport in Casablanca. On the last staircase, he was greeted by a long red carpet, Moroccan Crown Prince Moulay Hassan and Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch.
The Chinese president’s unofficial visit, which coincides with Xi Jinping’s return from the G20 meeting in Brazil, strengthens ties and interests to safeguard the strategic partnership between the two countries.
“China supports Morocco’s efforts to safeguard national security and stability, and calls on the two countries to expand cultural and people-to-people exchanges, so as to increase public support for their friendship,” Xi said. of his visit, according to the press release. official of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Despite the absence of the King of Morocco Mohamed VI, present in Paris, the meeting followed the royal instructions of the monarch.
A solid relationship
Since Morocco and China established diplomatic relations in 1958, the projection of their commercial, economic or socio-cultural relations, among other sectors, remains alive. In May 2016, they signed and ratified one of the most important cornerstones with the Strategic Partnership Declaration, which was preceded by diplomatic successes for both delegations.
Overall, the two countries have made efforts to implement the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the 10th Ministerial Conference of the Forum on China-Arab Cooperation. More precisely, a year after the ratification of the association, in 2018, both signed a memorandum of understanding on the Belt and Road initiative, with which Morocco became the first country in South Africa. North to commit to the Chinese project implementation plan. But it doesn’t end there.
The sympathy between the two leaders, Xi Jinping and Mohamed VI, was manifested in 2021 with the injection of a vaccine. Morocco’s king became the country’s first citizen and the world’s first leader to be vaccinated with Sinopharm, the Asian Covid drug developed by Beijing’s Institute of Biological Products. All this despite the fact that Morocco previously received a batch of AstraZeneca, the British vaccine manufactured in India.
China’s interests in the region
Even if China’s economic and logistical interests in the region, and in particular in Morocco, are not new, they have experienced unique growth in recent years. Among some of these cases, the establishment of Citic Dicastal in Kenitra stands out, a company specializing in the manufacturing of aluminum wheels which constitutes, to date, one of the most important Chinese investment projects in Morocco. As part of the Belt and Road Initiative, other Chinese groups such as BTR Schenzhen or Gotion High-Tech have also set up in Rabat.
Another of the major megaprojects financed by China is the smart city that will bring technology and jobs to the local community of Tangier: the Mohammed VI Tangier Tech City. The project, which began construction in 2023, will occupy approximately 2,000 hectares and house approximately 2,000 hectares. 200 multinational companies. Even if the place is built thanks to Chinese investments, it will welcome other foreign players such as the European Union or the United States within the framework of bilateral free trade agreements.
The latest was concluded between the Moroccan National Railway Office and the Chinese group Overseas Engineering, through a civil engineering works contract for the construction of the new high-speed rail line between Marrakech and Kenitra. The concession is valued at around 128 million euros and ousted two subsidiaries of French companies NGE Contracting and Guintoli.
Consolidated in commerce
At the start of 2024, China established itself as the third commercial partner of the Maghreb country (exceeding $56 million in 2022), particularly in projects in the industrial field, followed by the real estate, transport, energy and mines, and its first economic ally in Asia. Additionally, during Xi Jinping’s last visit in December 2023, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi decided to increase trade volume by up to 50%, with a total trade volume of 7.6 billion. dollars in 2022.
Economic and commercial interests do not stop there. China is also taking advantage of the consolidation of its ties with Morocco to enter the region. During the last visit to Morocco by the Chinese Minister of Commerce, Wang Wentao, and the meeting with the Moroccan Minister of Commerce, Ryad Mezzour, the potential of the African Continental Free Trade Area to “develop Moroccan and Chinese exports” was put forward. new and promising African markets.
Western Sahara and Taiwan
Morocco, unlike much of the European Union, is one of the countries supporting the “one China” policy aimed at strengthening support for national sovereignty and diplomatic relations. Beijing’s policy, established in 1979 between the United States and China, recognizes the People’s Republic as the sole government of the country without considering Taiwan as a sovereign entity.
On the other hand, even if China has not officially recognized the Moroccan plan on Western Sahara, it suggests its sympathy for Rabat on the territorial question. During the China-Africa Cooperation Forum summit, the Polisario Front and the self-proclaimed Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic were not invited to the international event. On several occasions, China has rejected attempts by Algeria or South Africa, due to their proximity to the Polisario Front, to invite independence groups to events organized in China or even in African countries. .
