Rabat – Morocco’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Nasser Bourita has said that the Arab-Chinese partnership is a successful cooperation model.
Bourita made the remarks during the opening of the 8th Conference on Arab-Chinese Relations and Dialogue between Arab and Chinese Civilizations.
During the conference, Bourita stressed that the need to launch new initiatives with a view to developing cooperation and partnership between the two parties, consolidating achievements and promoting cultural and civilizational pluralism.
The inclusion of Moroccoin the Chinese initiative “Belt and Road” is an opportunity to “broaden horizons and multiply the opportunities for cooperation and investment between the two countries in several areas,” the minister said in a speech read on his behalf by Director for Asian Affairs and Oceania, Ambassador Abdelkader El Ansari.
Bourita added that the diplomatic relations with China continue to grow and consolidate, with the aim of developing, in the long term, a global strategic partnership.
He emphasized that the Moroccan-China relations developed after King Mohammed VI paid a working visit to the Asian giant, in May 2016.
He said that the royal visit gave a “strong impetus” to the development of economic and commercial relations between the two countries.
For his part, China’s Special Envoy for Middle East affairs, Zhai Jun, said that the ties between China and Arab countries are a model to follow in strengthening cultural dialogue, which draws its strength from the deep history of bilateral relations.
Jun also stressed the need to support dialogue between the Arab World and China, urging the two parties to join efforts in several areas, including the fight against terrorism and the strengthening of expertise sharing in governance and administrative management.
The Chinese official assured that the “Belt and Road” initiative will consolidate and develop bilateral relations.
Participants in the two-day conference will tackle several issues, including tangible and intangible assets in the Arab-Chinese space, multiculturalism in the management of the reality of cultural diversity, as well as the role of traditional means of communication and the modern information revolution in the dissemination of religious knowledge and in the fight against extremism and hatred.
