Since Morocco joined the Belt and Road Initiative in 2017, bilateral relations between Rabat and Beijing have been intensifying. While this process has increasingly yielded significant economic benefits, earlier Chinese efforts promoting language, culture, and traditions in the North African country constitute an important dimension for understanding and assessing the true depth of bilateral co-operation. Drawing extensively on semi-structured interviews conducted during fieldwork in Morocco, this article examines the role, Keywords scope, and activities of the three Confucius Institutes and the China Cultural Centre located in the country. Furthermore, it sheds light on the main reasons why a growing number of Moroccan students have chosen to enrol at Chinese universities. The paper argues that cultural and educational exchanges illustrate how China is increasingly shaping its own image in a key country of the Maghreb region. It also highlights that young Moroccans perceive their experiences at Chinese universities as an unprecedented opportunity to improve their employment prospects upon returning home.

Il numero completo e i suoi articoli sono disponibili in open access sulla piattaforma Rivisteweb de Il Mulino.