Morocco’s Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch, met with senior local officials and leading Chinese economic operators in Hefei, the capital of Anhui province, to explore potential collaboration opportunities during his participation in the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
Upon arriving in Hefei, the second-largest automobile producer and exporter in China, Akhannouch was welcomed by Liang Yanshun, Secretary of the Communist Party for Anhui province.
During the meeting, Akhannouch highlighted strong political ties between Morocco and the People’s Republic of China, reinforced since the establishment of a strategic partnership between the two nations in 2016 under the leadership of King Mohammed VI and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
He reaffirmed Morocco’s ongoing commitment to China’s Belt and Road Initiative.
The Moroccan official highlighted the significant expansion of Chinese investments in Morocco, particularly in the automotive sector.
He went on to cite several ongoing projects, including the construction of an electric battery Gigafactory in Kenitra by China Gotion, a project for electric battery material production led by the CNGR and Al Mada joint venture in Jorf Lasfar, as well as the Sentury’s advanced tire manufacturing plant.
He also noted the BTR Group’s planned production facility for electric battery materials, currently under development in the Mohammed VI Tangier Tech City, in addition to other Chinese investments in sectors such as wind turbine blade production close to the Nador West Med port.
Liang Yanshun addressed the significant interest demonstrated by Chinese companies, particularly those based in Anhui province, in expanding their operations in Morocco.
He attributed Morocco’s appeal as a production platform to its strategic positioning as a stable, competitive, and environmentally friendly location.
Anhui province, home to over 60 million citizens and a GDP of $700 billion is currently witnessing one of the most dynamic economic growth rates in China.
The Moroccan delegation to Anhui also included Mohcine Jazouli, Minister of Investment, Convergence, and the Evaluation of Public Policies; Chakib Alj, President of the Moroccan Employer’s Association, and Ali Seddiki, Director-General of the Moroccan Agency for Investment and Export Development.