Mr. Bourita’s visit is part of the sustained momentum that has characterized relations between the Kingdom of Morocco and the People’s Republic of China since the establishment of the Strategic Partnership by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, and H.E. Mr. Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China, on the occasion of the Royal Visit to Beijing in May 2016.
In this framework, the two ministers emphasized that this Strategic Partnership constitutes the solid foundation underpinning a distinguished cooperation, built on solidarity, mutual trust and reciprocal respect.
The visit of President Xi Jinping to Casablanca on November 21–22, 2024, during which he was received by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan, under the High Instructions of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, reaffirmed once again the shared will to elevate bilateral relations to higher levels.
The two ministers welcomed the excellence and depth of bilateral ties, as well as the diversity of cooperation areas, which continue to grow thanks to ambitious initiatives in the political, economic, cultural and human fields.
Mindful of the need to accompany the dynamics of economic exchanges and the upward trend of foreign direct investment, the two ministers stressed the importance of strengthening the legal framework of economic cooperation in order to consolidate investor confidence on both sides. Such stability and predictability are essential for carrying out large-scale projects in key sectors.
In this regard, they welcomed the ongoing revision of the 1995 Bilateral Agreement on the Promotion and Reciprocal Protection of Investments. They also agreed to boost Chinese investment in Morocco, strengthen joint industrial partnerships and encourage co-development on a continental scale, notably through tripartite cooperation in favor of Africa.
Talks between the two delegations further explored new prospects of cooperation in strategic and high value-added sectors such as infrastructure, industry, energy, innovation, digital technology, renewable energy, as well as tourism and higher education.
The two officials particularly welcomed the momentum characterizing tourist flows between the two countries, which serve as an essential lever for bringing peoples closer and as a catalyst for economic and human exchanges.
They also agreed to deepen cultural, academic and scientific cooperation, including university, linguistic and artistic exchange programs, in order to consolidate mutual understanding and strengthen people-to-people ties between the Moroccan and Chinese peoples.
Both sides highlighted Morocco’s role as an essential regional platform and a natural bridge for Sino-African and Sino-Arab cooperation, thanks to its geostrategic position, political stability, quality infrastructure and diversified partnerships. They also underlined China’s role as a major actor in international cooperation and a key partner at the African and Arab world levels.
The meeting was also an opportunity for an in-depth exchange on vital issues and on regional and international topics. In this context, the two ministers noted a convergence of views on a number of questions, principles and values, notably those of national sovereignty and territorial integrity of States, and the fight against separatism and extremism.
This convergence illustrates the strength of the Morocco–China Strategic Partnership and the shared will to actively contribute to a more just, balanced and inclusive international order.
The two ministers also reaffirmed Morocco’s and China’s commitment to the primacy of multilateralism, the centrality of the United Nations, and the principles of the UN Charter, including the peaceful settlement of disputes and non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries.
Mr. Bourita’s visit was crowned by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding establishing a Morocco–China Strategic Dialogue, a mechanism aimed at strengthening political consultation and defining new horizons of cooperation and diplomatic interaction.
Editorial team/le7tv