CAIRO — Chinese and Morocco have agreed to expand defense and
military cooperation.
Officials said the agreement was reached during a visit by a Moroccan
delegation to China this week. They said China would help Morocco's military
in such fields as training and technical expertise.
"We don't expect any major military sales," an official said. "Our
military is not compatible with China."
The Moroccan delegation has been headed by Abdul Aziz Benani,
inspector-general of the Moroccan Armed Forces, Middle East Newsline reported. During a week-long visit
scheduled to end on June 15, Benani met Chinese Defense Minister Cao
Gangchuan.
During his visit, Benani and Cao agreed to strengthen military
cooperation, particularly in the area of technology. Benani said military
cooperation has developed between Beijing and Rabat.
"We hope the two sides will become important partners," Benani was
quoted as saying by the official Chinese news agency.
China has sought to use Morocco as a base for trade and cooperation
throughout Africa and Europe. Rabat has sought cooperation and assistance
from a range of allies to develop the kingdom's military and security
forces.
