Morocco and China: economic diplomacy drives industrial attractiveness
Beijing became, for a week, the scene of a decisive acceleration for the Sino-Moroccan strategic partnership. Driven by a shared will for reindustrialisation, the Minister Delegate for Investment, Karim Zidane, and the Moroccan ambassador to China, Abdelkader El Ansari, made numerous overtures to Chinese giants during the 4th China International Supply Chain Expo (CISCE).
The message is clear, coordinated and particularly ambitious: the Kingdom now intends to establish itself as the essential industrial hub between Europe, Africa and the Atlantic space. As Morocco shows a historic investment dynamic, with 381 approved projects for a total amount of 580 billion dirhams and a rise in Chinese financial flows — foreign direct investment reached 2 billion dirhams in 2025 — ambassador Abdelkader El Ansari reaffirmed this Tuesday that the Kingdom is ready for a new stage. Addressing economic operators, he recalled that the partnership sealed in 2016 by King Mohammed VI and President Xi Jinping is not a simple statement of intent, but a real engine of tangible growth.
The strength of the Moroccan argument no longer relies only on workforce or tax advantages, but on a comprehensive value offer. The Kingdom proposes an ecosystem where unparalleled connectivity, supported by world-class infrastructure such as Tanger Med or the ports of Nador and Dakhla, transforms Morocco into an ideal logistical gateway. Added to this is privileged access to international markets thanks to more than 56 free trade agreements and a central role in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), allowing Chinese companies to bypass customs barriers to reach more than one billion consumers. This foundation is reinforced by a robust sectoral grounding in automotive, aeronautics, electric mobility and renewable energies, all areas where Sino-Moroccan complementarity now stands as an industrial evidence.
In this dynamic, Minister Karim Zidane emphasised the concept of a “triangular partnership”. For him, Morocco is not just an export destination; it is a key partner for the industrialisation of Africa. The model is clear: China provides technology and capital, while Morocco offers its expertise, political stability and continental influence to sustainably transform the African industrial fabric. This vision fits fully into the preparations for the 2030 World Cup, where infrastructure and sustainable mobility projects open unprecedented opportunities for Chinese groups.
For Abdelkader El Ansari, the challenge is now to transform this growing confidence, already illustrated by the presence of around a hundred Chinese companies on Moroccan soil, into a deep and lasting industrial anchor. In Beijing, Morocco no longer merely boasts about its merits; it is laying the foundations for a future where “Made in Morocco” becomes a natural extension of global value chains, confirming that the Kingdom is, more than ever, the strategic bridge of a reconfiguring world.
