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July 30, 2016

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Moroccan king leads country into bright future

TODAY marks the 17th anniversary of the enthronement of His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco. In keeping with a long-standing tradition, the commemoration reaffirms the bond of mutual allegiance between the Moroccan people and their monarch as he leads the nation along the path of stability and prosperity.

Since his accession to the throne in 1999, His Majesty the King has launched a myriad of major economic and social projects, and introduced significant political and institutional reforms to fulfill the aspirations of his people. Undivided attention has been given to ensuring prosperity, based on bold initiatives, resolute action and effective use of the resources available.

Thus, Morocco has grown by leaps and bounds and made significant progress in the area of infrastructure development. In the same vein, large-scale facilities, such as ports and airports, and road networks have been expanded. These achievements have changed the landscape of a great many provinces.

Unrelenting efforts have been made to ensure Morocco becomes a producer of renewable energy. The implementation of its solar energy program and the launching of the world’s largest solar power plant in Ouarzazate, capable of being seen from space, are just part of such ambitious endeavors.

Since 1999, there has been a steady and remarkable evolution in Morocco’s foreign relations, which is in total harmony with its domestic policies. The country has been keen to pursue a balanced multidirectional foreign policy, and has strengthened its relations with traditional partners while opening up promising opportunities with new partners. Along the fulfillment of its territorial integrity, Morocco has left no stone unturned to further consolidate its economy and adapt to the requirements of globalization. Its national convictions remain firmly attached to the respect of international legality, legitimacy, justice as well as the principles of peaceful settlement of disputes and the strong support of international partnerships aiming at harmonious global development.

It goes without saying that relations between Morocco and China are deeply rooted in history. The well-known Moroccan traveler Ibn Battuta ventured into fourteenth century China, and expressed his amazement at the grandeur of its civilization. At the end of a trip that had lasted for 29 years, he committed his journey to a book and dedicated a whole chapter to his stay in this wonderful land.

Around the same time, under the reign of the Yuan Dynasty (1206-1368), a Chinese traveler, Wang Dayuan (1271-1368), visited Morocco. Both men had intended to familiarize their respective populations with different ways of life. Such human contacts stand as early attempts to bridge the gap between the two time-honored civilizations, notwithstanding the tyranny of distance.

As a matter of fact, people-to-people exchange is on the rise, particularly after waiving the visa requirement for Chinese citizens, who, as a result, are expected to visit Morocco in greater numbers. At present, Morocco hosts two Confucius Institutes, and more youths are learning Chinese, as they get a foretaste of the Chinese culture and way of life through geography courses they receive in high school.

In 1958, diplomatic relations was established at a time when Morocco was the second African country to recognize the People’s Republic of China.

Ever since, Morocco and China have endeavoured to foster their relations in various fields, based on genuine friendship, mutual understanding and trust. Today, the relations of cooperation between the two countries are marked with respect and shared points of view on issues of common interest.

These relations have been further strengthened by the state visit to China, in May 2016, of His Majesty the King Mohammed VI and the signing, with President Xi Jinping, of a joint statement on establishing a strategic partnership between the two countries.

There is every prospect of success in our bilateral relations with China as my country can be a platform for Chinese companies entering Europe and Africa with which Morocco shares a long history and common cultural values.

The Throne Day celebration is indeed the occasion to proudly look back at our achievements and aspire for more in the coming years.




 

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