Business matchmaking event between Morocco, China held in Casablanca

Members of a Chinese business delegation from Yiwu, east China's Zhejiang Province, exchange contact information with their Moroccan counterparts during a business matchmaking event in Casablanca, Morocco, May 15, 2024. (Xinhua/Huo Jing)

CASABLANCA, May 16 (Xinhua) -- A business matchmaking event between Morocco and China's small commodity production hub Yiwu was held in Casablanca on Wednesday.

Wang Jian, party secretary of Yiwu, a county-level city in east China's Zhejiang Province, said that Yiwu is an important window for China's opening up to the world.

Since the inception of the Belt and Road Initiative, economic and trade exchanges, as well as cultural interactions between Yiwu and Morocco, have been increasingly frequent and deepening, Wang said, adding that Morocco has become an important trading partner for Yiwu.

He hoped the matchmaking conference would serve as a new starting point for deepening cooperation and exchanges, and inject continuous vitality into the economic and trade cooperation between the two sides.

Zheng Wei, economic and commercial counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Morocco, said China is Morocco's largest trading partner in Asia. In recent years, a growing number of Chinese companies have come to Morocco to explore the market. Zheng hoped that the matchmaking meeting will contribute to the win-win cooperation between China and Morocco and provide more development and investment opportunities.

Ahmed Afilal, vice chairman of the Casablanca Municipal Council, said that Morocco is the first North African country to sign a cooperation plan for the joint construction of the "Belt and Road Initiative" with China, and China is one of Morocco's most important partners. Morocco hopes to strengthen cooperation with Yiwu and bring Yiwu's experience and resources to Morocco.

At the matchmaking meeting, delegations from China and Morocco conducted in-depth communication on business and investment, and signed three cooperation projects on the spot.

Hala Fadhil from a Moroccan lighting company expressed her appreciation for China, considering the matchmaking conference constructive.

Zhang Jiying, a representative of a Chinese company in the umbrella business, hoped the conference could provide more business opportunities with potential clients from Morocco.