Sentury Tire, a massive Chinese tire manufacturing company, has acquired land for the $300 million first tire factory in Morocco.

The general manager of this tire company will get ready for the opening of the tire factory in Morocco in the near future, according to information obtained by Tyrepress China media, which confirms earlier reports on the same topic that were first sparked in May.

China Securities Journal reported today that Lin Wenlong, general manager of the Chinese company, signed an agreement with Jaafar Mrhardy, president of Tangier Technology City Development, to buy about 200,000 square meters of land close to Africa’s largest container port and to confirm the Moroccan partner’s involvement in the facility’s development and operation.

Sentury operates two other facilities outside of China, one each in Thailand and Spain. The Tanger-Med Port, which handles more than half of all cargo moving through Moroccan ports, will be 35 kilometers from the new complex.

Sentury, a Qingdao-based company, announced in December that it will invest over $300 million of its own money to build a car tire factory in Morocco with a six million unit annual production capacity. The company did build a facility in Tangier for this purpose in April.

After the project is finished, Sentury will be the only tire manufacturing in Morocco, enhancing the firm’s global competitiveness.

China produces and exports the most tires in the world, making up more than half of the total.

Read also: China’s Top Lawmaker Zhao Leji to Visit Morocco Amid Growing Rabat-Beijing Ties

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In Rabat on Thursday, Morocco and China emphasized their shared desire to broaden their cooperation, including new key fields in it, and capitalize on the advantages provided by their respective economies and strategic locations.

This position was emphasized during discussions between the Head of Government, Aziz Akhannouch, and Zhao Leji, who is currently leading a sizable delegation of officials on a working visit to Morocco. Zhao Leji is the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of the People’s Republic of China.

The two officials praised the quality of the 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, during their discussions, which were centered on the various aspects of cooperation between Morocco and China.

HM King Mohammed VI, may God preserve him, established their multilateral strategic partnership during the official visit he made to the People’s Republic of China in May 2016 at the invitation of Chinese president H.E. Mr. Xi Jinping. The two officials, it was further stated in the statement, welcomed the level of partnership between the Kingdom of Morocco and the People’s Republic of China, which enshrines the common will of the two leaders.

On this occasion, the Head of Government expressed Morocco’s appreciation for the People’s Republic of China’s constructive stance on the Moroccan Sahara issue in the United Nations Security Council and reaffirmed Morocco’s commitment to the principle of respecting other countries’ sovereignty and refraining from meddling in their internal affairs.

The two parties acknowledged their agreement on their points of view and support for one another’s stances in international forums as the discussions also addressed a number of regional and global problems of shared concern.

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, were all present during these lengthy discussions.

Read Also: China’s Top Lawmaker Zhao Leji to Visit Morocco Amid Growing Rabat-Beijing Ties

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Zhao Leji, the head of China’s legislature, will go to Morocco from May 11 to May 20 as part of a nine-day business trip that also includes visits in Senegal and Malaysia.

Leji’s visit, according to People’s Daily, is being arranged by Rachid Talbi Alam, Speaker of the Moroccan House of Representatives.

The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China is traveling to Morocco at a time when relations between Rabat and Beijing are strengthening.

The two nations collaborate in a variety of important sectors, including economic and political cooperation.

Chinese exports to Morocco totaled $6.43 billion in 2021, with the main goods being broadcasting equipment, vaccines, antisera, poisons, and cultures. These figures are from statistics provided by the Observatory of Economic Complexity.

The observatory said that during the past 26 years, China’s exports to Morocco had grown at an average rate of 15.3%, from $159M in 1995 to $6.43B in 2021.

Morocco’s exports to China in 2021 amounted to $523 million. Copper ore, zinc ore, and refined copper are among China’s top imports from Morocco.

The same observatory revealed trade data that showed Morocco imported 573 million dollars’ worth of goods from China in just March 2023.

Electronics like telephones are among the major exports.

China and Morocco have long stated a desire to further developing their diplomatic and business ties.

King Mohammed VI urged for improved ties between China and the Arab countries in December 2022.

The inaugural China-Arab Summit, held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, was where the Moroccan king made his request.

The Arab-China alliance “offers possibilities to overcome the repercussions of these multifaceted challenges,” such as COVID-induced crises, armed conflicts, and political instability, King Mohammed VI highlighted in his speech.

The collaboration, the king emphasized, will allow Arab nations to get access to China’s knowledge and experience in a variety of fields, including economy, science, and technology.

Read Also: Morocco, Qatar discuss strengthening bilateral relations in social integration

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Mohcine Jazouli, the Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of Investment, Convergence, and Evaluation of Public Policies, will travel on Monday for a roadshow in Shanghai and Beijing sponsored by the Moroccan Agency for the Development of Investment and Exports (AMDIE).

Jazouli will also take part in a Morocco Now conference on “bridging” the Moroccan and Chinese economies through trade and investment as part of this roadshow, as well as the 20th Auto Shanghai.

The trip will be an occasion to convey the Kingdom’s offer and quicken the pace of Chinese investment in the country.

“Under King Mohammed VI’s direction, Morocco has made a name for itself as a favorable location for investments. A true Moroccan dynamism is now evident, and we want to share it with Chinese businesspeople, according to Jazouli.

Meetings with top Chinese government officials and business figures are also on the itinerary of this journey.

Read Also: Morocco gives Syria ultimatum to restore diplomatic ties

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On Sunday, Taiwan reported seeing 11 Chinese warships and 70 aircraft flying over the island as China continued its war games.

The ministry added that a mixture of fighter jets and bombers were among the airplanes it has seen up until 4 pm local time (0800 GMT) in response to the Chinese exercises.

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According to official media, China’s military exercises have “simulated joint precision strikes against major targets on Taiwan island and adjacent waters.”

According to CCTV, the ground forces practiced “multi-target precision strikes” while the air force sent out dozens of planes to “fly inside the target airspace.”

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Iran and Saudi Arabia, Middle East heavyweights that severed ties in 2016, announced on Monday the restoration of diplomatic relations following talks between the two countries’ leaders in China.

Breaking News: Saudi Arabia and Iran agreed to re-establish diplomatic ties, a major realignment between regional rivals.https://t.co/eF5llr688T

— The New York Times (@nytimes) March 10, 2023

“Following talks, the Islamic Republic of Iran and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia have agreed to resume diplomatic relations and reopen (diplomatic) embassies and representations within a maximum of two months,” Irna news agency said in a joint statement issued by the two countries’ state media.

Sunni Saudi Arabia and Shiite Iran broke off ties more than seven years ago after protesters in the Islamic republic attacked Saudi diplomatic missions following Riyadh’s execution of a prominent Shiite cleric, Nimr al-Nimr.

Other Gulf countries including the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain had subsequently reduced their diplomatic ties with Tehran to support Riyadh.

Iran’s Supreme National Security Council Secretary Ali Shamkhani has been in Beijing since Monday “for intensive negotiations with his Saudi counterpart in China aimed at resolving the (latest) differences between Tehran and Riyadh,” Irna reported.

The foreign ministers of the two countries will “implement this decision and make the necessary arrangements for the exchange of ambassadors,” the statement added, without elaborating.

Iran’s diplomatic chief, g, welcomed on Twitter “the return to normal relations” between his country and Saudi Arabia.

“The return to normal relations between Tehran and Riyadh offers great opportunities for both countries, the region and the Muslim world,” he said, adding that his ministry would “actively launch other regional initiatives”.

From April 2021, Iraq hosted a series of meetings between security officials of the two rival powers to bring the two countries closer together.

“New page”

In their joint statement, Iran and Saudi Arabia “thank the Republic of Iraq and the Sultanate of Oman for hosting talks between the two sides in 2021 and 2022, as well as the leadership and government of the People’s Republic of China for hosting and supporting the talks there.”

https://twitter.com/KSAmofaEN/status/1634180277764276227?s=20

Iraq welcomed the “new page” in the history of diplomatic relations between Tehran and Riyadh, which support rival parties in several conflicts in the region, including Yemen.

Iran has a major influence in Iraq and Lebanon and supports the regime in Syria militarily and politically.

It has strong ties with Baghdad, where the parliament is dominated by pro-Iranian parties and the government is formed from this majority.

Beijing had signed a vast 25-year strategic agreement with Tehran in 2021 in areas as varied as energy, security, infrastructure and communications.

“The three countries (Iran, Saudi Arabia, China) declare their firm commitment to make every effort to strengthen regional and international peace and security,” said the joint statement issued Friday.

In mid-February, Iranian President Ebrahim Raissi paid a three-day state visit to China, the first by an Iranian president in the country in more than 20 years.

In recent months, the Emirates and Kuwait had resumed diplomatic relations with Iran.

Read Also: BCIJ director highlights dangerous Iran-Polisario connections

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Many Moroccans are concerned that a new form of confinement is on the horizon in light of the recent emergence of the covid-19 virus in China and the Moroccan government’s ban on Chinese nationals entering Moroccan territory.

The president of the Moroccan Society of Medical Sciences, Professor Said Moutaouakil, disagrees with this theory. The anesthesiologist, who is also a member of the Technical and Scientific Committee, reaffirmed that the relevant authorities would not also decide to close the borders.

The restriction on Chinese nationals and those traveling from China, according to Professor Moutaouakil, is “temporary and will be lifted as soon as the number of contamination cases is reduced.”

People who have the flu should seek medical advice, the expert advised, as it is anticipated that the Kingdom will experience a new wave of the pandemic.

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The Moroccan authorities have decided to ban all travelers, regardless of their nationality, from The Republic of China from entering the territory of the Kingdom of Morocco, according to an announcement made on Saturday by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, African Cooperation, and Moroccans living abroad. This is due to the development of the health situation related to Covid-19 in China, as well as ongoing and direct contact with the Chinese side, and in order to prevent a new wave of contaminations in Morocco and all of its repercussions.

According to a statement from the ministry, this measure will be in effect starting on January 3, 2023, until further notice. The ministry noted that “the Kingdom of Morocco has closely followed in recent weeks the development of the pandemic Covid in China.”

The same source stated that “this exceptional measure in no way affects the sincere friendship between the two nations or the strategic partnership to which the Kingdom remains strongly attached.”

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Ryad Mezzour, the Moroccan Minister of Commerce and Industry, and Li Changlin, the Chinese ambassador in Rabat, signed a memorandum of agreement on “the creation of the Working Group on Trade Facilitation and Promotion,” according to Le360. On this occasion, the two parties highlighted the two nations good political relations, noting that this environment of understanding and partnership will support trade and industry development.

The Chinese ambassador to Morocco recently stated in an interview with Le360 that his country is interested in the construction of the High Speed Line (HSL) between Marrakech and Agadir. “China wants to win this market,” he stated, before adding that his country and its big banks are capable of providing “the funding required for the realization of this line at a favorable rate.”

“We have the necessary technology, skills, and funding to complete this project successfully. China and its companies, I repeat, are prepared to carry out this task “Li Changlin Added.

In terms of economic and trade relations, the ambassador stated that trade between Morocco and China had reached 6.5 billion dollars in 2021, “a record value never recorded in the history of economic and trade relations between the two nations.”

According to Li Changlin, the two countries are currently “are meeting with one another to develop another strategy for future collaboration. He stated, as an ambassador, “I am pretty positive about the prospects for Sino-Moroccan collaboration.

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