Envoy: China, Morocco foster synergy under BRI

A view of the Essaouira beach in the seaside city of Agadir, one of the hottest tourist sites in Morocco. (Photo by Yang Feiyue/China Daily)

China and Morocco share a longstanding positive relationship, with the synergy fostered under the Belt and Road Initiative holding great promise for both nations, said Abdelkader El Ansari, Morocco's ambassador to China.

Ambassador El Ansari, who began his tenure in February, has visited several places across China, including Shandong province and the Inner Mongolia autonomous region.

"Everywhere I've visited, I've seen significant dynamism, growth and ongoing projects. It reflects a national momentum," El Ansari told China Daily.

"The infrastructure and major companies I've visited across various provinces highlight the tremendous potential for deeper economic cooperation between our two countries. This aligns perfectly with Morocco's role in the Belt and Road Initiative."

With its strategic position as a gateway to Africa and its proximity to European markets, Morocco has naturally emerged as a key partner in the BRI. "Morocco will be a main pillar in implementing this initiative in our region," Ansari said.

In 2017, Morocco and China signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly advance the Belt and Road Initiative. In 2022, Morocco became the first country in North Africa to sign an implementation plan for the BRI. Currently, China is Morocco's largest trading partner in Asia and third-largest globally. Morocco is a key trade partner for China in Africa. In 2016, the two countries decided to establish a China-Morocco strategic partnership.

One of the key projects in the partnership with China is the Mohammed VI Tangier Tech City, launched in 2017. It is expected to host around 200 Chinese companies and include a 1,000-hectare industrial acceleration zone, Morocco World News reported.

"In this smart city, we hope to welcome Chinese companies to implement next-generation projects with high technological value, particularly in the automotive, electronics and robotics sectors," he said.

Morocco's automotive exports surged to 160 billion dirhams ($16 billion) in 2023, according to a report from the Exchange Office, the country's foreign trade regulator. Morocco has become a leading auto exporter "thanks to a conducive business environment", Ansari said.

Electric vehicles are one of the many sectors where Moroccan and Chinese companies have built strong synergies, he said at a forum organized last week by the Chongyang Institute for Financial Studies at Renmin University of China.

"In Morocco, we have the human resources and the raw materials needed for electric vehicles and, especially, the batteries. To produce electric vehicles, you need raw materials, technology and skilled labor — elements that Morocco possesses — along with access to other markets."

Chinese EV battery giant Gotion High-Tech signed a $1.3 billion agreement in June with the Moroccan government to build a gigafactory in Kenitra. On Nov 13, an MoU was signed between Gotion and Morocco's state-owned investment fund to advance the project.

Morocco is aligning its development strategy with the BRI across 14 sectors, including infrastructure, energy, health, education and tourism.

"The initiative represents a comprehensive cooperation program between Morocco and China," Ansari said.

In 2016, Morocco introduced a visa waiver policy for Chinese citizens, quickly becoming a popular destination for Chinese tourists.

Before the visa waiver program, Morocco received about 15,000 Chinese visitors every year. Three years after the policy, the number surged to 200,000. "I am confident that within the next three to four years, we will reach the target of 500,000 visitors," he said.

Ansari also highlighted his active participation in key events, such as the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum.

"These platforms provide an excellent framework for China, African and Arab partners to celebrate shared friendship and solidarity, discuss mutual interests and build a common vision for the future," Ansari added.