A recent report issued by the “China Policy Observatory,” which studies the foreign policy of this Asian country, revealed that Beijing’s behavior towards the Sahara issue has become more pragmatic; as it sought to strengthen its relations with Morocco through several strategic agreements, which suggests a diplomatic rapprochement with the Moroccan position on this issue, especially since the two countries share the principles of respecting territorial integrity and rejecting separatism within their strategic dialogue.
The same observatory noted that the People’s Republic of China follows a cautious and balanced approach in multilateral forums, as it refrains from using the veto against key resolutions concerning the Sahara issue, but on the other hand, it does not issue any statements supporting the Polisario separatist front, pointing out its abstention from voting on the latest Security Council resolution that dropped the referendum solution and considered the Moroccan autonomy plan the most realistic and sustainable solution.
The same source stated that official Chinese statements call for peaceful solutions to conflicts, but at the same time adhere to the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries, which it also applies to the Sahara conflict, noting that “this approach is intentional; as it allows Beijing to maintain good relations with both Morocco and the countries supporting the Polisario Front, especially Algeria, which increases the margin of its diplomatic maneuvering.”
The report stressed that “recent analyses confirm that China is inclined, for economic and geopolitical reasons, towards a solution based on autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty rather than full independence, although it has not officially declared this,” explaining this inclination by “China’s interest in Morocco as a strategic platform in Africa and the Mediterranean, and in the Sahara’s resources rich in phosphates and rare minerals, and therefore Beijing prefers regional stability as a condition to guarantee its investments.”
The China Policy Observatory highlighted that “China’s vote on Security Council resolutions on the Sahara issue has not always been consistent; for example, China voted in October 2023 in favor of renewing MINURSO’s mandate, while it abstained in 2018 during the vote on Resolution 2414 on the same renewal,” stressing that “Beijing does not systematically oppose all resolutions on the Sahara, but rather its vote (between support and abstention) changes according to the wording of the text.”
In a related context, the Observatory confirmed that “China’s abstention from voting on the UN resolution issued on October 31, 2025 means that it did not oppose the initiative supporting the Moroccan plan, but rather allowed it to pass without enthusiastically or without reservation supporting it.”
He explained that “relations between Morocco and China have witnessed a great development to become strategic and practical, going beyond the symbolic diplomatic character; Beijing considers Morocco a key partner and gateway to Africa and Europe, an industrial and logistical center, and a reliable ally,” noting that the two countries signed a multi-dimensional strategic partnership agreement in 2016, which raised the level of the relationship to something deeper than mere trade cooperation.
He added that “China has always emphasized the great strategic value of Morocco thanks to its geographical location, its regional role and the bridge of communication it forms towards Africa. On the economic level, China is Morocco’s largest Asian partner and one of its most prominent partners globally, with the volume of trade between them in 2024 exceeding 9 billion US dollars.”
He stressed that “China aims to diversify its partners and trade routes, and to exploit Morocco’s position as an alternative hub to avoid geopolitical risks. The Kingdom also enjoys the trust of the Chinese thanks to its support for the One China principle and its refusal to recognize Taiwan, a position that Beijing considers fundamental to its international relations.”
The China Policy Observatory concluded that “China’s position on the Sahara issue appears practically biased towards a solution that guarantees autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty, i.e., stability without full independence in the near term,” considering that “the recent Security Council resolution represents a clear turning point; it has changed the strategic balance that China had been maintaining in its position on the Sahara conflict, and this shift can be explained, even if it has not been officially declared, in the context of its broad economic and diplomatic interests in Morocco and the Maghreb region.”
