The new industrial district of Mohammed VI Tangier Tech City, a joint Chinese-Moroccan project, is taking shape in northern Morocco's coastal city of Tangier.
The project was one of many agreed between China and Morocco during the visit of Morocco's King Mohammed VI to China in 2016.
Construction began in the second half of last year and the new city will eventually cover approximately 2,000 hectares and host over 200 multinational companies in a range of free trade industrial zones, technology hubs, residential areas and commercial spaces.
"The investment we are seeking is basically around automotive parts and new energy related industries. This aligns with the current trend of Chinese companies going global and Morocco's national strategy to strengthen its automotive supply chain and expand the new energy sector," said Yan Bin, General Manager of the Morocco Office at China Road and Bridge Corporation, one constructor of the project.
The first 500 hectares of the project are currently under construction with over 80 percent of the land already allocated to around 20 multinational companies.
"Our settlement here has been warmly welcomed by the local government as we bring advanced technology, which fills a gap in Morocco's green industry initiative. Our entry has also attracted related upstream and downstream companies, which is a crucial step in building the industry's ecosystem," said Peter Yang, General Manager of BTR Mediterranean New Material Technology.
When it's finished, the 300-million-U.S. dollar project will directly create 100,000 local job opportunities and around 300,000 indirectly, those involved in the project say.
The new tech city is not only for Chinese and Moroccan companies, but also welcomes companies from other countries. As Morocco has bilateral free trade agreements with the European Union and the United States, the smart city could help boost global industrial and supply chain connectivity.
China-funded smart city to bring tech and jobs to Morocco
Authorities in Shanghai and neighboring eastern provinces have taken tight measures to suspend public activities as Typhoon Bebinca, the 13th this year, landed in the coastal regions on Monday morning.
The most powerful typhoon hitting Shanghai since 1949, Typhoon Bebinca made landfall in Shanghai at around 07:30 on Monday, bringing about 50 millimeters of rainfall by 08:00.
On Monday morning, a hydrological station near the Huangpu River reported that the water level had risen to 4.5 meters, nearing the height of the dyke.
The usually bustling riverbank now stands empty, with only one police vehicle on standby to monitor water levels and address emergencies.
In response to the severe weather, the city's two airports, the Shanghai Pudong International Airport and Hongqiao Airport, have canceled all flights from 20:00 on Sunday until 14:00 on Monday, with over 900 flights called off and the flight resumption remaining pending.
Additionally, all ferry services, highways and parks have been closed for safety concerns.
Coinciding with the three-day Mid-Autumn Festival starting from Sunday, the Shanghai municipal government has ordered the cancellation of all outdoor festive activities and the shutdown of illuminated attractions.
Uprooted trees are seen along roadsides, and municipal workers have been busy with clearing operations since early Monday morning.
According to the municipal meteorological observatory, the typhoon is estimated to last for 12 hours, with its impact on the metropolis likely to diminish on Tuesday.
In Suzhou City, Jiangsu Province, the municipal government elevated the emergency response to Level-1 on Sunday night, marking a rare occurrence for the city.
The city has mobilized a total of 30,000 municipal workers, including electricians and police officers, to be on call in case of any emergency.
Plus, all public bus and food delivery services have been ordered to halt operations. Similarly, construction work citywide have been asked to suspend, with workers evacuated to local gyms for shelter.
Public activities suspended in Shanghai, Jiangsu amid Typhoon Bebinca
