Man with 'inescapable responsibility'

Having spent a third of his life in Beijing, toumert alkhalloufi feels he can call it home

Toumert Alkhalloufi has a mission in life: to strengthen the growing relations between his homeland, and his adopted home.

The 39-year old Moroccan has lived in Beijing since 2001, a year after his first trip to the Chinese capital.

He is just back from acting as a guide to a group of Chinese journalists on a week-long trip to Morocco, just one of the various roles he now plays as an adviser to its embassy in China.

His intimate knowledge of both countries has become an integral part in growing and maintaining ties between the two ancient civilizations, and the fluent Chinese speaker says the cultural and business links are growing stronger by the day.

"Since the building of the Silk Road, and the visit of Ibn Batouta (a Moroccan explorer and traveler) a few thousand years ago to China, there has been an important bilateral relationship between the countries," he says. "And that's only likely to strengthen."

After living for more than a decade in Beijing, he is proud of the ways he has helped the countries draw closer together, in fact he goes further, insisting that with he and his family now calling the city home, the promotion of friendship between China and Morocco has become his "inescapable responsibility".

"China is a country that has given me more than I ever expected," he says.

Alkhalloufi had his first taste of China as a student at the Cesar Ritz Colleges in Switzerland, one of the world's leading hospitality schools, and then later working in the country.

"During my time in Switzerland, I met many Chinese. n fact, about a fifth of those in the school came from China at that time, and they gave me a great understanding of Chinese culture, and I made some strong friends.

"I was encouraged to visit China to see for myself what this great emerging country had to offer."

The young Alkhalloufi made his first trip there in 2000, and was so impressed, that a year later he moved to Beijing full-time and he has been there ever since.

As well as his embassy work, he has established strong business interests in the city and elsewhere in the country, but arguably his most rewarding role, he says, is as an educator.

He has been the dean of education of the international program at the Beijing Youth Politics College since 2004, and has taught at the Beijing Agricultural Vocational College since 2003.

He also recently started lecturing at the China Foreign Affairs University, where he teaches business modules such as human resources, marketing, business strategy, business negotiation and public speaking.

His work at all the schools also deals with building and developing course content to meet internationally recognized standards for credit transfer, teacher recruitment quality control, and teacher training.

Further strengthening his role as a bridge between China and Morocco, for the past couple of years he has been working on programs that offer exchanges and cooperation opportunities for students between Chinese and Moroccan universities.

"It is a chance to give my fellow Moroccans the same privileges that China has offered me.

"So far seven students have come to China to study through my initiative. Although the number is not very high, yet, I am proud of the results, and will continue to work on bringing more."

He says there are currently around 100 Moroccans living in Beijing, again a few compared with those of many other countries - but he hopes through such projects, more Moroccan students may be offered the opportunity to study in China and learn about what makes the emerging super power tick.

"It is a win-win situation for everyone, and a great chance for the students to see what opportunities China offers the world. The level of education is excellent, at a reasonable cost, and it offers a great chance to learn about one of the world's richest cultures."

As such a keen observer of China-Moroccan business, social and educational relations, and with the in-depth knowledge of the economic environments of both, Alkhallouf has developed a hugely valuable insight into how best the two can work together.

China's business activities are growing quickly in Morocco, he says, but he insists there is still untapped potential between the two developing nations.

The best example he has seen of a Chinese brand gaining a strong reputation in Morocco, is Cherry's QQ car, he says.

He owned one himself in Beijing in 2003, but on a visit back to Casablanca a couple of years ago, he was surprised to see so many QQs on the streets of the Moroccan financial center.

"Merchants from all Morocco are now buying from China, for instance, just consider the fact that all our tea comes from there.

"In textiles, automotive parts, and various other key industry sectors, the trade between the two countries has become very well established."

Since the turn of the century, emerging countries such as Morocco are looking for long-term partnerships and investment opportunities as never before.

"We hope China considers Morocco as not only a solid political ally but also a business partner in a very challenging business environment," Alkhallouf says.

"With the setting up of free trade zones in Europe aimed at the automotive, shipping, financial services, hospitality and textiles industries, I believe China can and should also be integrating this kind of platform to capitalize on its advantages."

As a member of the Arab Maghreb Union, a trade agreement aiming for economic and political unity among Arab countries of the Magreb region of western North Africa, and with free trade agreements with many other countries, he describes Morocco as a well-established economy with a large, educated workforce and strategic position to serve both the European and African market.

"Numerous Chinese organizations are already starting to view Morocco as a ready platform to use," says Alkhalloufi.

"The infrastructure is there, as is a workforce with skills to match those of any European country.

"What Chinese investors bring to the party is innovation, management skills and specialist know-how.

"China has been making a lot of European investments in the automotive, food and financial sectors, particularly. Transferring some of those operations to Morocco, which is so close to Europe, can only help reduce costs and increase efficiency, but also give investors better access to the massive African market."

Tourism is another potentially lucrative sector for Chinese investors., he says.

"With the growing number of travelers from China, it would be ideal for operators to invest in joint ventures in Morocco, which offers tourist spectacular, sophisticated, historical, and safe destinations."

Moroccans have always appreciated and respected China as a great power, he says.

"I believe fully in the prospects of the Moroccan market and it is potential, and will continue working to encourage more Chinese businessmen to invest there, and elsewhere in Africa."

"More opportunities for collaboration will open up as communication and dialogue continues to prosper between the two nations."

liulu@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily Africa Weekly 06/13/2014 page28)