Chinese President Xi Jinping, on his way back to China after completing a state visit to Brazil, made a stopover in Casablanca. Following instructions from King Mohammed VI of Morocco, Crown Prince Hassan and Prime Minister Aziz Akhannouch came to the airport specifically to welcome Xi Jinping and held a reception ceremony. Xi Jinping had a cordial meeting with Crown Prince Hassan.
Xi noted that the relationship between China and Morocco has been progressing well, with effective practical cooperation and increasingly active exchanges in various fields. He recalled the productive meeting he held with King Mohammed VI during the King’s state visit to China in 2016, which elevated China-Morocco relations to a new level. Xi also expressed China’s willingness to work with Morocco to implement the outcomes of the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the 10th Ministerial Conference of the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum. He emphasized the need to strengthen collaboration across all areas under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative to achieve greater results. Xi underscored the importance of enhancing cultural exchanges between the two nations to solidify the foundation of friendly public ties and further develop the strategic partnership between China and Morocco. Crown Prince Hassan conveyed King Mohammed VI’s sincere greetings and warm welcome to Xi Jinping. The Crown Prince highlighted the positive development trend in Morocco-China relations and expressed gratitude for China’s valuable support to Morocco during the Covid-19 pandemic, stating that the Moroccan people would never forget it. He noted the significant interest of the Moroccan people in Chinese language and culture and called for increased cultural exchanges between the two nations. Additionally, he emphasized the similar stances held by Morocco and China on many issues and reaffirmed Morocco’s commitment to resolutely supporting each other in safeguarding national sovereignty, security, and stability.