Rabat, Beijing Express Common Aspiration to Diversify Bilateral Partnership (Statement)

This position was emphasized during talks between the Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch, and the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China, Zhao Leji, currently on a working visit to Morocco leading a large delegation of officials, said a statement by the department of the Head of Government.

During their talks, which focused on the various aspects of cooperation between Morocco and China, the two officials praised the quality of friendly relations marked by mutual consideration and respect between the two countries, which will celebrate the 65th anniversary of the establishment of their diplomatic relations next November.

The two officials, the statement added, also welcomed the level of partnership between the Kingdom of Morocco and the People’s Republic of China, which enshrines the common will of the leaders of the two countries, who established their multilateral strategic partnership during the official visit made by HM King Mohammed VI, may God preserve him, in May 2016 to the People’s Republic of China at the invitation of the Chinese president H.E. Mr. Xi Jinping, noting that this visit had been crowned by the signing of many cooperation agreements covering the various fields.

The Head of Government expressed, on this occasion, the consideration of Morocco for the constructive position of the People’s Republic of China in the Security Council of the United Nations on the issue of the Moroccan Sahara, and reiterated the commitment of Morocco to the principle of respect for the sovereignty of States and non-interference in their internal affairs.

The talks also covered several regional and international issues of common interest, while the two sides noted the concordance of their views and mutual support for their positions in international forums.

These extended talks took place in the presence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation and Moroccan Expatriates, Nasser Bourita, the Minister of Youth, Culture and Communication, Mohamed Mehdi Bensaid, the Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of Investment, Convergence and Evaluation of Public Policies, Mohcine Jazouli, the Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of Relations with Parliament, Government Spokesman, Mustapha Baitas, as well as the Chairmen of several committees of the National People’s Assembly of China accompanying Zhao Leji and the Chinese ambassador in Rabat.