On August 28, 2002, visiting Premier Zhu Rongji met with more than 40 Moroccan businessmen from various industries in the city of Casablanca.

Zhu briefed the group of businessmen on the reform and economic growth in China and thanked them for their active contributions to the development of Sino-Moroccan economic and trade cooperation, as well as the friendship between the two peoples.

Zhu said that China and Morocco are important developing countries in Asia and Africa respectively. China's entry into the World Trade Organization last year and Morocco's status as a free trade partner with the European Union by 2010 will provide broad prospects for Sino-Moroccan economic and trade cooperation. He noted that It is imperative for the two countries to foster new points for trade growth, expand areas of economic cooperation and encourage direct mutual investment and cooperation between enterprises of both countries, in order to elevate bilateral economic and trade cooperation to a new high in the new century.

Zhu stressed that China encourages capable and advantageous Chinese enterprises to step out of the country to conduct reciprocal cooperation and realize common development with Morocco and other countries.

On behalf of Moroccan business circle, Vice President of Moroccan business league welcomed Zhu for his visit and expressed the hope to vigorously promote the growth of bilateral economic and trade relationship.