Xi's Visit to Morocco Demonstrates Ongoing Realignment in North Africa Post-Gaza War and Trump Election

China is trying to make economic peace a statecraft in North Africa while Morocco seeks further investments in Western Sahara in light of Trump's election.

Last Friday, Chinese President Xi Jinping made a technical stop in Casablanca on his way back from the G20 summit in Brazil, where he met with Crown Prince Moulay Hassan. The unscheduled visit included discussions solidifying the two countries’ historically robust economic relations. Noteworthy was Xi’s emphasis on supporting Morocco’s security efforts in matters of “national sovereignty,” a cornerstone of China’s foreign policy that appears somewhat contradictory in relation to its prior stances on the Western Sahara and its increased weapons trade with Algeria. Morocco’s commitment to strengthening ties with China represents a strategic effort to secure Beijing’s backing in Western Sahara affairs. The visit follows the recent re-election of US President Donald Trump, whose previous presidency marked historical gains for Morocco, Washington, and Israel—often to Beijing’s dismay. The upcoming Trump presidency may further strain the Sino-Moroccan relationship.