Chinese Ambassador in Rabat: Morocco–China relations have entered a “new phase” of growing momentum

ALDAR/

The Chinese Ambassador to Morocco, Li Changlin, affirmed that bilateral relations between Rabat and Beijing have entered a “new phase” of rising momentum, highlighting that cooperation between the two countries is expanding both in depth and in breadth, particularly in the economic and cultural fields.

In his statement, the ambassador noted that Chinese investments in Morocco are increasingly targeting strategic sectors, primarily the automotive industry, renewable energy, and textiles—contributing directly to job creation and local development. He also praised Morocco’s growing role as an industrial and service hub connecting Africa and Europe.

Li Changlin emphasized that this economic surge is accompanied by notable progress on the political level, referencing the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Casablanca in November 2024, where he was officially received by Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan. During a 25-minute meeting, the two sides discussed prospects for cultural and humanitarian cooperation.

As part of efforts to strengthen people-to-people and tourism exchanges, the ambassador announced the launch of new air routes between China and Morocco, notably a direct line by “Taversion Shanghai” connecting Shanghai to Casablanca via Marseille, inaugurated on January 20, 2025, in addition to the relaunch of the former route operated by Royal Air Maroc. The Chinese diplomat projected that no fewer than 200,000 Chinese tourists will visit Morocco by the end of the year.

Among the symbolic indicators of this mutual openness, the ambassador mentioned the recent filming in Tangier of the popular Chinese reality TV show “The Chinese Restaurant”, during which a Moroccan restaurant was completely transformed into a Chinese-style establishment in terms of design and equipment. He stated that the episode will air at the end of this month, and is expected to garner several billion views, significantly boosting Morocco’s visibility as a cultural and tourist destination for the Chinese audience.

The ambassador concluded by emphasizing that this new momentum in Moroccan–Chinese relations reflects a strong political will at the highest levels of both countries, and a shared awareness of the importance of building a balanced partnership based on trust and complementarity across various sectors.