Chinese president in Morocco today
Chinese President Jiang Zemin is expected in Rabat this Wednesday for a four-day official visit at the invitation of King Mohammed VI.
The visit is destined to boost bilateral economic and commercial ties between the two countries, that will mark on November 1 the 41st anniversary of their diplomatic ties, established in 1958.
Trade between China and Morocco tangibly grew from $100 million in the 1980s to $252 million in 1998. But exchanges remain short of the two countries' ambitions and potentials.
Morocco exports phosphates and fertilizers to China, while imports are made up mainly of tea, finished consumption goods and ceramics.
Rabat and Beijing will seek to diversify their economic cooperation, especially in phosphates, fisheries and water desalination. Morocco is building a nuclear energy desalination unit in the south with Chinese assistance.
Six Chinese enterprises have been operating in Morocco's fisheries sector over the past 10 years. The two countries also cooperate in social fields, as 120 Chinese physicians are practicing in 12 hospitals in Morocco.
Zemin's visit to Morocco comes after the official one that Prime Minister, Abderrahmane Youssoufi paid to China last year.
In an interview with the "Le Matin" daily, Zemin invited chinese firms to buy phosphate-fertilizers and other products to balance trade exchanges between the two countries.
