Morocco and China Enter a New Phase of Strategic Cooperation

Ten years after Morocco and China formalized their strategic partnership, bilateral ties are entering a broader phase marked by industrial investment, infrastructure development, healthcare cooperation, education and growing engagement around Africa.

The direction of the relationship was highlighted in Rabat on Thursday, September 17, 2026, during celebrations marking the 77th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China. Moroccan Health and Social Protection Minister Amine Tehraoui, who attended as guest of honor, spoke alongside Chinese Ambassador to Morocco Yu Jinsong.

Their remarks reflected a shared interest in maintaining political dialogue while giving greater weight to economic and social cooperation. Both sides also emphasized principles including national sovereignty, territorial integrity and respect for states’ internal affairs.

Shared positions on an evolving international order

Yu Jinsong placed the bilateral relationship within China’s broader diplomatic approach, emphasizing an independent foreign policy and peaceful cooperation. Beijing’s stated position favors a more balanced multipolar international system and rejects bloc-based confrontation and Cold War-style strategic thinking.

The ambassador also referred to President Xi Jinping’s four-point proposal concerning common security in the Middle East. The reference underscored the wider international context in which Rabat and Beijing are developing their relationship, particularly as countries across the Global South seek greater room for diplomatic and economic maneuver.

For Morocco, the emphasis on sovereignty, territorial integrity, non-interference and political solutions to disputes provides areas of convergence with China’s stated diplomatic principles.

From political confidence to structured dialogue

The year 2026 carries particular significance for bilateral relations. It marks a decade since the establishment of the Morocco-China strategic partnership and 68 years since diplomatic relations were established in 1958.

A defining moment came in 2016, when King Mohammed VI visited Beijing and the two countries signed the declaration establishing their strategic partnership. Since then, cooperation has expanded across political, economic, industrial, energy, cultural and health-related fields.

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Casablanca on November 21 and 22, 2024, provided another high-level milestone. His arrival on November 21 was marked by a welcome from Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan, following instructions from King Mohammed VI.

Institutional coordination has also advanced. On September 19, 2025, Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser Bourita and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi signed a memorandum of understanding in Beijing establishing a strategic dialogue mechanism between their respective foreign ministries.

The mechanism provides a framework for more regular coordination as the relationship becomes increasingly multidimensional.

Chinese investment reshapes Morocco’s industrial landscape

Economic cooperation is increasingly moving beyond conventional trade toward production and industrial integration.

The Mohammed VI Tangier Tech City has become a major platform for Chinese industrial activity, with more than 50 companies now established there. Several projects are progressing through different stages of development: Foshan High Tech and Shenzhen BCL are moving toward production, while initiatives involving Shandong Yongsheng, Sunrise Tech City and Guangzhou Xingyi have entered the construction phase.

For Morocco, these projects fit into a broader strategy aimed at attracting technology-intensive investment, generating employment and strengthening the country’s position within international value chains.

For Chinese companies, Morocco offers access to a strategic geographical position connecting African and European markets. Cooperation in high-speed rail and motorway infrastructure adds another dimension to this economic relationship.

The possibility of eliminating customs duties, discussed during the anniversary event, could further increase bilateral trade. At the same time, a larger trade relationship raises questions about the competitiveness of Moroccan companies and the diversification of Moroccan exports.

The next stage of cooperation could therefore depend not only on higher trade volumes, but also on productive investment, skills development, technology transfer and deeper integration of local suppliers into industrial value chains.

Education, tourism and healthcare broaden people-to-people ties

The partnership also has a significant human dimension.

More than 12,000 Moroccan students are currently studying in China, reflecting the growing educational links between the two countries. Tourism has likewise become an increasingly visible component of bilateral exchanges, with nearly 150,000 Chinese visitors traveling to Morocco in 2025.

Cultural cooperation has expanded alongside these exchanges. Moroccan participation in the Silk Road Fashion Week and the recognition received by the film Halima at the Shanghai International Film Festival have provided additional channels for cultural interaction.

Healthcare remains another longstanding area of cooperation. In 2025, Morocco marked the 50th anniversary of the arrival of the first Chinese medical teams in the Kingdom. The sector now offers opportunities for expanded cooperation in medical training, research and professional expertise.

Africa emerges as a key area for future cooperation

The African dimension is becoming increasingly important to the Morocco-China relationship.

Morocco promotes its role in supporting stability and sustainable development across Africa, while China uses platforms such as the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation to deepen its engagement with the continent.

The two countries could potentially combine their respective networks, expertise and financial capabilities through triangular projects in African markets. Such initiatives could bring together Chinese financing and technical expertise with Morocco’s experience and established economic links across the continent.

After a decade of strategic partnership, the relationship is consequently evolving from a predominantly diplomatic framework toward a more complex network of industrial, commercial, educational, cultural and health partnerships.

The challenge for both sides will be to translate this expanding political confidence into projects capable of generating lasting economic value, strengthening skills and supporting broader cooperation between Morocco, China and Africa.