China has entered the race for investments in the southern Moroccan provinces, Chawki Ben Zahra, an Algerian political opponent residing in France, told Rue20, specifying that the Chinese giant could start by establishing a Chinese chamber of commerce in Dakhla in order to to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the Atlantic port which should be operational by 2029.
China’s affirmed interest in the Moroccan Sahara is justified in this context marked by the return to power of Donald Trump, who in 2020 recognized the Moroccan nature of the Sahara and committed to opening an American consulate in Dakhla, and the announcement of investments by France after its recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over this territory.
Read: China-Morocco: an alliance that worries Algeria
According to Spanish media, Chinese President Xi Jinping, during a recent visit to the Canary Islands, raised the possibility of opening a Chinese consulate in Laâyoune. Xi Jinping seeks “to imitate Trump’s declaration in 2020 by opening a consulate in Laayoune,” Chinese sources estimate.
The Chinese president is expected to make a stopover for a few hours in Morocco, returning from his participation in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum (APEC) in Lima, Peru, and the 19th G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Moroccan authorities are preparing to give a warm welcome to Xi Jinping whose visit, although unofficial, could augur good news about the Sahara. However, these are just rumors!
Morocco
