The agreement was signed by Hamid Addou, CEO of Royal Air Maroc, and Wang Zhiqing, President of China Eastern Airlines, in the presence of senior officials from both parties.
This memorandum aims to significantly enhance air connectivity between Morocco and China, in support of the growing economic, cultural, and tourism exchanges between the two countries.
The comprehensive partnership includes the implementation of a codeshare agreement on key routes, the expansion of connecting flights beyond both carriers’ hubs, and the signing of a Special Prorate Agreement (SPA) to strengthen the complementarity of their respective networks.
Through these agreements, passengers of both airlines will benefit from a wider range of destinations, smoother connections, and an improved travel experience between the two regions.
The two carriers also plan to expand their collaboration into other areas of air transport, driven by a shared ambition to provide high-quality services and strengthen their operational and commercial synergies.
Expressing his satisfaction with the partnership, Mr. Zhiqing emphasized that the long-standing friendship and close cooperation between China and Morocco have laid a solid foundation for collaboration in the aviation sector. He noted that the natural complementarity between the two networks stems from the strategic role of the Shanghai hub and RAM’s strong presence across Africa.
“We are fully committed to deepening our strategic cooperation in the air transport market between China and Africa, guided by a shared vision of a comprehensive and sustainable partnership,” he said.
For his part, Mr. Addou stated that this strategic partnership between RAM and China Eastern Airlines is in line with Morocco’s ongoing efforts under the High Directives of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, following the momentum initiated by the Royal Visit to China in 2016.
These efforts, he added, aim to give new impetus to bilateral relations, strengthen the solid friendship between the two countries, and build an effective, multidimensional model of South-South cooperation.
He explained that this ambition was reflected in RAM’s launch of the first-ever direct route linking Morocco and China (Casablanca–Beijing).
“Today, we are continuing that momentum through this partnership by strengthening connections and, above all, building human, economic, tourism, and cultural bridges between the two nations,” he said.
The signing ceremony was attended by the Ambassador of His Majesty the King to China, Abdelkader El Ansari.
It should be recalled that Royal Air Maroc resumed the first direct air link between Morocco and China on January 20, with three weekly flights operated between Casablanca and Beijing.
Similarly, Shanghai Airlines, a subsidiary of China Eastern, launched on January 19 a route between Shanghai and Casablanca via Marseille, with three weekly flights. The Chinese carrier has since added a fourth weekly frequency, operated directly between Shanghai and Casablanca since September 25, and plans to gradually switch all flights to direct service to optimize passenger comfort and connection efficiency.
This new route represents a key lever for strengthening air exchanges between China, Morocco, and the entire African continent.
Based in Shanghai, China Eastern Airlines is one of China’s three largest carriers, alongside Air China and China Southern Airlines. It currently operates the country’s most extensive international network, with around 9,100 international flights per month.
Editorial team/le7tv