A view of Rabat, capital of Morocco File photo: VCG
Editor’s Note:
This year marks the 12th anniversary of China-proposed Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). Under the initiative, cooperation between China and Africa has entered the fast lane in recent years. Morocco is among the first countries in North Africa to join BRI and the past decade of cooperation has produced many tangible results. In an exclusive interview, Global Times’ reporter Li Xuanmin (GT) spoke with his excellency the Moroccan ambassador to China Abdelkader El Ansari (El Ansari), recapping the development of bilateral BRI cooperation over recent years and elaborating on future plans for deepening their bilateral ties.
Abdelkader El Ansari Photo: Courtesy of Abdelkader El Ansari
GT: How do you evaluate the cooperation between China and Morocco under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI)? What are the focal areas?
El Ansari: Morocco has emerged as a strategic partner in the China-proposed BRI, being among the first countries in the North Africa region to sign the Memorandum of Understanding on Belt and Road Cooperation in 2017. This early engagement signaled Morocco’s intention to serve as a vital conduit between continents, leveraging its unique geostrategic location.
The Joint Implementation Plan of the Belt and Road between the two countries signed in 2022 further solidified Morocco’s role, acknowledging the country as a pivotal player in a global initiative. The BRI’s emphasis on trans-state connectivity and human-centered development resonates strongly with Morocco’s own vision for inclusive and sustainable growth.
Examples of tangible BRI cooperation include the construction and modernization of port and railway infrastructure such as the Kenitra-Tangier high-speed rail corridor and expanded container handling capacities at several ports in Morocco. Chinese firms have also participated in energy and logistics initiatives across Morocco, including in the development of wind farms and smart logistics zones. These projects are emblematic of the BRI’s broader goals—building modern infrastructure and enhancing trade flows across continents.
GT: How does China-proposed BRI align with Morocco’s development strategy?
El Ansari: The alignment between Morocco’s development strategy and the BRI is reflected in several key sectors. And infrastructure development—especially maritime, railway, and road systems—stands out as a major area of cooperation. Other vital pillars include industrialization, sustainable energy production, and capacity building through human resource development and knowledge transfer.
China’s growing investments under the BRI are meeting fertile ground in Morocco, particularly within the automotive, aeronautics, textile, agriculture, and aquaculture sectors. In 2024, bilateral trade between Morocco and China reached approximately $9.04 billion, showing a steady increase over recent years. Major projects include the development of the Mohammed VI Tangier Tech City—a vast industrial zone in northern Morocco with Chinese backing—which is expected to host hundreds of companies and generate tens of thousands of jobs.
The economic partnership goes beyond capital flow. It is about shaping supply chains, sharing innovation, and building an industrial model where mutual benefit and geopolitical positioning reinforce one another.
GT: This year marks the 12th anniversary of BRI. In your view, what are the potential areas that the two countries could deepen their business ties?
El Ansari: As the BRI enters its second decade of development, Morocco’s role—anchored in stability, strategic foresight, and shared values—stands out as a model of confident engagement under the BRI. This is not just about bridges, ports, or trade corridors. It is about vision. A vision in which emerging economies like Morocco not only adapt to global shifts, but help shape them—turning proximity into purpose, and partnership into progress.
Looking ahead, Morocco’s strengths—political stability, connectivity, favorable trade agreements, and an attractive fiscal environment—are poised to deepen future BRI cooperation. The World Cup 2030 provides further impetus for infrastructure development and international investment.
Among the sectors identified for growth are automotive, aeronautics, agri-food, textiles, electronics, and offshoring services. The tourism sector, too, holds vast potential, especially with rising Chinese interest in culturally-rich and safe travel destinations. These sectors also reflect Morocco’s strategic aim to integrate into global value chains and shift from a manufacturing site to a global services and innovation partner.
The BRI offers not just financing, but also the opportunity to redefine how emerging economies engage with global trade networks.
GT: In terms of people-to-people exchange between China and Morocco, what are the highlights in recent years?
El Ansari: The architecture of mutual understanding is also laid brick by brick through education, art, and shared celebration. Educationally, China has become an increasingly attractive destination for Moroccan students. Over 9,000 Moroccan students are currently enrolled in Chinese universities—a number growing by nearly 30 percent annually. This isn’t merely a trend; it’s a reflection of the broader intellectual curiosity and ambition of a new generation of Moroccans looking eastward. Four Confucius Institutes now operate across Morocco—in Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier, and Fez—providing structured Chinese language education and acting as cultural anchors for bilateral exchange. These initiatives symbolize a bilateral academic relationship that is not just ceremonial, but generative—producing knowledge, relationships, and future opportunities.
Meanwhile, cultural festivals have become immersive channels of soft diplomacy. In 2024, the “Hello, Beijing” cultural exchange brought traditional Chinese opera, calligraphy, and cuisine to Moroccan audiences in Rabat and Tangier. Similarly, the Chinese New Year celebration in Chefchaouen transformed the blue-walled city into a symbolic red lantern-lit bridge between Asia and Africa.
Morocco has reciprocated with art exhibitions, gastronomy showcases, and music performances in Beijing and Shanghai, presenting its millennia-old cultural tapestry to Chinese audiences. Such events, often organized with the support of the respective ministries and cultural councils, reflect a strategic understanding that people-to-people trust is forged not only through dialogue—but through shared experiences.
GT: In your view, what kind of role would Morocco play in facilitating cooperation between China and Morocco?
El Ansari: Morocco plays a bridging role in the China-Africa economic relationship—geographically, politically, and diplomatically.
Backed by its experience in industrialization, sustainability, and counter-terrorism, Morocco is uniquely placed to align the BRI with Africa’s Agenda 2063, Africa’s blueprint and master plan for transforming Africa into the global powerhouse of the future. Morocco promotes models of regional cooperation that are locally led but globally engaged. This role is not only about facilitating Chinese investments in Africa; it’s about redefining Africa’s role in global dynamics through confidence, capability, and coordination.
The article is compiled based on an interview with Moroccan ambassador to China Abdelkader El Ansari