Doha – This morning, Morocco’s Minister of Industry and Trade opened the 11th edition of the business conference at the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum with a virtual message to the attendees in Haikou, the capital of China’s southern Hainan province.

Morocco is being featured this year as a guest of honor at the conference, which the minister said reflects its position as a strategic partner to China.

“This distinction embodies the Kingdom’s status as a strategic partner to China,” Mezzour said, recalling King Mohammed VI’s historic visit to Beijing in 2016 that revitalized bilateral relations through a strategic partnership declaration.

Mezzour recalled Morocco’s early participation in the Belt and Road Initiative among Arab nations. “The Sino-Moroccan partnership is now tangible in industrial, energy, and logistics sectors,” he stated.

The minister referenced substantial infrastructural achievements during King Mohammed VI’s 25-year reign, including the high-speed train connecting Casablanca and Tangier, and the Tangier Med port complex.

Morocco’s strategic geographic position offers access to 2.4 billion consumers across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East, attracting international investors through economic openness and reforms in legal and financial sectors.

“We’ve established special economic zones like Casablanca Finance City and provide state support for promising national economic projects,” Mezzour noted.

He proposed creating a China-Arab digital platform to facilitate entrepreneur interactions and connect investors with project developers. Mezzour also advocated for training programs focused on artificial intelligence and green economy to equip young talent with skills demanded by the global market.

The minister called for support mechanisms for small and medium enterprises, describing them as “the backbone of Arab economies,” through dedicated investment funds and technical assistance for international expansion.

The Moroccan delegation at the forum, led by Ambassador Abdelkader El Ansari, includes representatives from the General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM), the Moroccan National Tourism Office (ONMT), Bank of Africa, and Attijariwafa Bank.

Growing China-Arab commercial relations

Other speakers, including Liu Xiaoming, Governor of Hainan Province, Ren Hongbin, President of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT), and Khaled Mohamad Hanafy, Secretary General of the Union of Arab Chambers, noted that trade between China and Arab countries has grown from $36.7 billion in 2004 to over $400 billion in 2020.

The two-day conference, held alongside the 9th investment seminar at the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, hosts over 1,000 participants, including local economic operators and Moroccan entrepreneurs based in China.

Morocco’s exhibition stand, the only national display at the event, is showcasing investment opportunities and tourism attractions, drawing significant visitor interest.

The conference features four thematic sessions on energy transition, scientific and technological innovation, cultural and tourism synergies, and financial cooperation development. A special session on investment opportunities in Hainan’s free port is also scheduled.

Established in 2005, the entrepreneurs conference at the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum has evolved into a crucial platform for advancing economic and commercial relations between China and Arab nations.

Following the conference, business visits will take place to various economic zones in Hainan Province, including the Wenchang Space Launch Center and the Yangpu Economic Development Zone.