Morocco China customs agreements strengthen trade and security ties

Morocco and China signed three customs agreements in Brussels aimed at deepening bilateral cooperation, strengthening supply chain security, and facilitating international trade. The Morocco China customs agreements were signed during the annual session of the World Customs Organization.

The documents were signed by Mohamed Zahoui, Director General of Morocco’s Customs and Indirect Tax Administration, and Zhang Baofeng, Deputy Minister of China’s General Administration of Customs.

According to Moroccan customs authorities, the agreements establish new mechanisms to combat customs fraud, improve information sharing, support digital customs transformation, and strengthen economic and trade relations between the two countries.

The first agreement is a Memorandum of Understanding on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Customs Matters. It creates a legal framework for exchanging information and coordinating actions to prevent, detect, and address customs violations. The arrangement is expected to enhance efforts against customs fraud, under invoicing, and false declarations while improving risk management and protecting public revenues.

The second agreement provides mutual recognition of Morocco’s Authorized Economic Operator program and the equivalent Chinese system. Through this framework, both customs administrations will be able to streamline customs procedures, improve risk assessment, and offer greater predictability for companies engaged in international trade.

Moroccan authorities said the measure should strengthen the competitiveness of Moroccan exporters in the Chinese market and support the country’s ambition to serve as a regional center for trade, logistics, and investment.

The third agreement links the customs authorities of the Port of Casablanca and the Port of Ningbo. It focuses on customs modernization, trade facilitation, risk management, data analysis, and staff training. The memorandum also seeks to accelerate the handling of administrative assistance requests between the two customs administrations.

Morocco’s Customs Administration described the signing as an important step in expanding customs cooperation with China and enhancing the efficiency and security of trade flows.

The agreements build on commitments made during the seventh session of the Morocco China Joint Commission for Economic, Trade, and Technical Cooperation held in Beijing in December 2025, where both countries agreed to deepen cooperation in customs affairs and economic relations.