The year 2023 marks the tenth anniversary of the the Belt and Road Initiative. Morocco is the first North African country to join the initiative. The cooperation between China and Morocco under the framework of the the Belt and Road Initiative has yielded fruitful results. Recently, Ambassador Li Changlin to Morocco received an exclusive interview to elaborate on the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Morocco, the joint construction of the the Belt and Road and people to people and cultural exchanges.

Ambassador Li: China established diplomatic relations with Morocco on November 1, 1958. Morocco was the second African and Arab country to establish diplomatic relations with the New China. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations 65 years ago, China and Morocco have always respected each other, treated each other equally, and cooperated sincerely, and their relations have continuously made new progress.

It should be pointed out that in recent years, China Morocco relations have continuously deepened and deepened, entering the best period in history. Both sides have political unity and mutual trust. China firmly supports Morocco in pursuing a development path that is in line with its own national conditions, supporting Morocco's economic development and improving people's livelihoods. Morocco has always provided strong support to China on issues related to China's core interests and major concerns, such as Xinjiang, Taiwan, and Hong Kong; The two sides signed the first the Belt and Road cooperation plan in North Africa, and China became the third largest trading partner of Morocco; In terms of cultural exchange and mutual learning, Morocco is the only Arab country with one Chinese cultural center and three Confucius Institutes, and more and more young Moroccans are studying in China; We closely collaborate on major international issues, uphold a fair stance in international affairs, vigorously advocate multilateralism, jointly uphold the fundamental principle of non-interference in internal affairs, and safeguard the common interests of both countries and developing countries.

When it comes to China and Morocco, one cannot help but mention the renowned Moroccan traveler Ibn Batutai. Several hundred years ago, he came to China through hardships, connecting two distant civilizations. In 1963, Premier Zhou Enlai visited Ibn Batutai's hometown of Dangir to commemorate this envoy of civilization. The Chinese and Moroccan civilizations attracted each other and the friendship between China and Morocco has a long history.

Ambassador Li: Both China and Morocco have a long and splendid civilization. The 5000 year history of Chinese civilization is a precious treasure of human civilization. The Islamic prophet Mohammad once said, "Seek knowledge, even if it is far away from China." This has made Muslim people, including Mo, full of longing for China, an ancient Eastern power. In recent years, China has achieved remarkable development achievements, and more and more Moroccans are paying attention to and approaching China, hoping to understand China and share the development dividends and success opportunities it brings. Similarly, as a millennium old civilization, Mo has a diverse blend of cultures here, which also has a significant attraction for the vast Chinese people.

Ambassador Li: In recent years, under the guidance of the the Belt and Road Initiative, the depth and breadth of China Morocco cooperation have reached a new level. For example, in terms of industrial parks, the Muhammad VI Tangier Technology City project, jointly supported by the two heads of state, has made significant progress and is ready to receive investment enterprises from China and other countries to settle in; In terms of the automotive industry, the CITIC Daika North Africa factory, with a total investment of over 600 million US dollars, has settled in the Atlantic Free Trade Zone of Mokenitra, becoming the largest investment project in Morocco by China to date. Qingdao Senqilin Tire Company recently announced that it will invest 300 million US dollars to build a factory in motorcycles, and several Chinese companies, including Ningde Times and Guoxuan High Tech, are also interested in investing in the production of lithium-ion batteries for electric vehicles; In terms of economy and trade, the volume of trade between China and Morocco has continued to grow, and the momentum remains unchanged in the COVID-19, reaching a record high of US $6.67 billion in 2022; In terms of medicine and health, in addition to the fruitful COVID-19 vaccine cooperation, Chinese enterprises actively participated in the construction of the largest vaccine production factory in Morocco, supplying pneumonia vaccine, medical equipment, etc. to Morocco. It is understood that Humanwell Pharmaceutical also plans to invest in setting up a factory in Morocco.Editor/Ma Xue