This new trip by Chinese President Xi Jinping to the African continent – a surprise visit to Morocco on Thursday – demonstrates ever-deepening cooperation in bilateral economic relations and diplomacy. During his brief Casablanca visit that came after the G20 Summit in Brazil, Xi received a warm welcome from Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan, replicating the existing diplomacy between China and Morocco.
As with any visit of short duration, much meaning could be imparted in that short span of time. This could be seen, when Xi met Aziz Ajanuch, head of Moroccan government and also get honours including members of the Royal Moroccan guard, which consolidating the diplomatic bond between Beijing and Rabat. This top-pitch comes amid a gradual ramp-up of Beijing’s investment in Morocco’s infrastructure and railway sector, putting the North African country squarely in China’s global vision for the Belt and Road Initiative.
Overall, Morocco’s convenient geographic position near Europe and partnership with the US, and the EU in free trade makes it ideal for Chinese firms to venture into South of the Sahara region. Now it’s a hub for Chinese companies who want to break into the European and American markets especially in the manufacturing of electric vehicles and solar products.
One of the biggest landmarks in this emerging economic relationship was made in June when Gotion High Tech, a Chinese battery manufacturer, said it was to build Africa’s first “gigafactory” in Morocco at an estimated cost of $ 1.3 billion. This project not only means enhancement of the need Morocco’s industrial sector but also showed china’s interest towards green technology market in Morocco.
One factor that makes most headlines stand out is that Xi made the trip at this time, through the thick and thin global economy as well as fluctuating power relations. Cooperation with Morocco may be viewed against the backdrop of China’s efforts to expand the circle of partners in its foreign trade and build new supply chains amid the current trade disputes with the United States and other Western states.
For the Moroccan side the inflow of new investment from China means development, new jobs and improved technology. It has been aggressively seeking foreign direct investment as it aims to become the financial hub in the region. Morocco has been able to attract Chinese investment in vital industries, technology, construction and renewable energy, furthermore Morocco wants to become more dominant in the African economy.
Nonetheless, the emerging Chinese Moroccan relations pose many questions on the future of regional relations and the Moroccan’s relations with the west in particular. Moreso, as China rises in economic power, people may raise questions as to whether it is gradually gaining extra political clout to influence Morocco’s foreign policies.
He also stressed China’s continuous push towards its foreign policy, particularly in the African continent and through the BRI project. If Morocco is integrated into this new global infrastructure system, the country could gain a strategic role in China’s African connection and China-Europe connection to redraw the geography of trade and investment relationships between China, Africa, and Europe.
As Xi Jinping’s visit winds up, it brings a very clear signal of China’s interest in increasing its cooperation with Morocco and, hence, with Africa. In the following years, the Chinese further increase of the investments as well as the economic collaboration in the field of Morocco can change the country economically, and its position in the global supply chains. As to how this new evolving partnership can accommodate both business cooperation and geopolitical concerns, only the future could tell, but it could also be said that China and Morocco have turned a new, loftier development page together.
