Historical Ties and Diplomatic Relations
The enduring friendship between the Chinese and Moroccan peoples, despite the significant distance that separates them, can be traced back to ancient times. In the 14th century, the renowned Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta journeyed to China, leaving behind vivid accounts of this ancient Eastern civilization in his timeless work, "The Travels of Ibn Battuta: An Exquisite Guide to the Wonders of the World and the Marvels of Travel." This remarkable text serves as one of the earliest records of cultural exchange between Chinese and Moroccan civilizations.
In modern times, Morocco became the second African Arab country to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. This significant development occurred on November 1, 1958, marking the official beginning of their diplomatic ties. Since then, the Sino-Moroccan relationship has been characterized by peaceful and stable development, underpinned by mutual understanding and support on issues of vital interest to both nations.
Deepening Development Synergy and Economic Cooperation
During King Mohammed VI's visit to China in 2016, a pivotal moment occurred when he signed a joint declaration with Chinese President Xi Jinping to establish a strategic partnership between the two countries. This historic agreement not only elevated Sino-Moroccan relations to a new level of strategic cooperation but also opened a new chapter of comprehensive collaboration across various sectors, including justice, economy, trade, energy, finance, culture, tourism, and food security. Looking back over the past ten years, both nations have reaped substantial benefits in terms of mutual political trust, economic cooperation, and cultural exchanges.
In November 2017, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and his Moroccan counterpart, Nasser Bourita, signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at promoting the joint construction of the economic belt of the Silk Road and the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road. This agreement made Morocco the first country in the Maghreb region to sign such a document. By January 2022, Morocco became the first North African country to sign the cooperative plan for the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative with China, thereby charting a clearer roadmap for deepening cooperation in infrastructure, economy, trade, and investment between the two nations. Furthermore, in September 2025, Minister Wang Yi held talks with Minister Bourita in Beijing, culminating in an agreement to establish a strategic dialogue mechanism between their foreign ministries, thus enhancing the institutional foundation of bilateral relations.
Economic and trade cooperation has seen remarkable growth both in scale and variety. In 2016, trade volume between China and Morocco reached approximately $3.63 billion, with China being one of Morocco's top five trading partners. Over the subsequent decade, this figure has steadily increased, with official statistics from the General Administration of Customs of China indicating a trade volume of $6.65 billion in 2022 and a further rise to $7.43 billion in 2023, expected to surpass $9 billion in 2024—a notable increase of 21.6% from the previous year. Today, China stands as Morocco's largest trading partner in Asia and the third largest globally. This substantial growth clearly indicates that the establishment of the Sino-Moroccan strategic partnership has significantly strengthened the institutional momentum behind economic and trade exchanges between the two nations.
Investment trends have also undergone a transformative shift. In 2016, China's accumulated direct investment in Morocco was less than $400 million, with a limited number of Chinese enterprises operating in the region. By the end of 2024, this figure had risen to $749 million, reflecting a remarkable increase of 46% from 2023 to 2024. Notably, the nature of Sino-Moroccan investment cooperation has evolved significantly; while major Chinese investment projects in Morocco in 2016 were predominantly in traditional sectors such as motorcycle assembly and energy-efficient lighting, today, high-tech fields like automotive parts, new energy, artificial intelligence, and electric vehicles have emerged as new growth areas for bilateral cooperation. Leveraging Morocco's rich phosphate resources, geographical proximity to Europe, and free trade agreements with the European Union and the United States, the country is positioning itself as a strategic hub for Chinese companies looking to enter European, American, and African markets.
Human exchanges between China and Morocco have also seen rapid development. Known as a unique country that blends Arab and Berber cultures while incorporating European and African styles, Morocco is often referred to as the "Garden of North Africa." The urban charm of Casablanca, the historic allure of Marrakech, the enchanting blue of Chefchaouen, and the starlit skies of the desert provide a captivating experience for Chinese visitors, who often find themselves immersed in the beauty of the nation. Following King Mohammed VI's visit to China in 2016, Morocco implemented a visa exemption policy for ordinary Chinese passport holders starting June 1, 2016. Prior to this policy, only about 10,000 Chinese visitors traveled to Morocco in 2015, primarily due to visa barriers and a lack of direct flight routes. Following the introduction of the visa exemption, the number of Chinese tourists to Morocco surged, reaching approximately 20,000 in 2016 and exceeding 141,000 in 2019—a remarkable increase of over sixfold within four years. In January 2020, a direct flight route between China and Morocco was inaugurated for the first time in history, significantly reducing travel time from over 20 hours to just 12 hours, thereby facilitating increased mutual visits. By 2025, the number of Chinese visitors to Morocco surpassed 200,000.
In the cultural and educational realms, Sino-Moroccan exchanges have flourished. During King Mohammed VI's visit to China in 2016, the Confucius Institute at Mohammed V University, established in Rabat in 2009, was the only institution for Chinese language education in Morocco. A decade later, Morocco boasts three Confucius Institutes, and a Chinese cultural center has opened in Rabat, becoming an important window for showcasing Chinese culture and promoting mutual learning between civilizations. The activities of the Confucius Institutes extend beyond language instruction to include training programs for Chinese-speaking tour guides. The University of Marrakech has launched training courses for Chinese-speaking guides and organized study trips to China for outstanding students to participate in Chinese language summer camps. Additionally, a "2+2" tourism management program has been established in collaboration between Beijing International Studies University and Mohammed V University, aiming to cultivate high-level, multi-skilled international tourism professionals. From a single Confucius Institute to a vast network of cooperation in education and culture, the infrastructure for human exchanges between China and Morocco has significantly improved over the past decade, laying a solid foundation for the long-term development of bilateral relations.
As reported by arabic.china.org.cn.
