On April 21, 2025, Vice President Lan Yujie of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) met with a delegation led by Dr. Jamila El Alami, Director of the Moroccan National Center for Scientific and Technical Research (CNRST). Fan Yingjie, Director General of NSFC’s Bureau of International Cooperation, hosted the meeting.

Lan Yujie first conveyed President Dou Xiankang's greetings to Dr. Alami and extended a warm welcome to the delegation. He introduced the mission and latest reform initiatives of NSFC, emphasizing that against the backdrop of global uncertainties and challenges, sci-tech innovation constitutes a pivotal driver in addressing these issues. He stated that NSFC is committed to working with CNRST to forge a closer Sino-Moroccan sci-tech cooperation community within the framework of the Belt and Road Science, Technology and Innovation Cooperation Action Plan. Both institutions agreed to advance concrete cooperation in fields such as basic sciences, advanced materials, and engineering technologies to actively contribute to global technological advancement.

Dr. Alami expressed her gratitude to NSFC for the warm reception. She introduced CNRST's organizational structure, research program portfolio, support service functions, and international cooperation mechanisms, as well as funding provisions for research collaborations and academic exchanges. She pointed out that Morocco, as the first North African country to join the Belt and Road Initiative, has engaged in collaborative projects with several Chinese research institutions, particularly following the 2016 China-Morocco Strategic Partnership Joint Declaration, which has promoted significant bilateral achievements. Dr. Alami affirmed CNRST's commitment to building a sci-tech partnership with NSFC, proposing continued dialogue to identify priority funding areas.

Officials from the Division of Asia, Africa and International Organizations, NSFC’s Bureau of International Cooperation provided an overview of NSFC and its collaborative engagements with Africa. Xi'an University of Technology presented the latest progress of the China-Morocco Joint Laboratory for Green Energy and Advanced Materials. Participants were engaged in discussions on future cooperation between CNRST and NSFC.

Attendees included experts from the National School of Applied Sciences of EI Jadida, Chouaib Doukkali University, Xi'an University of Technology, and Shandong University, along with staff from the Division of Asia, Africa and International Organizations, NSFC’s Bureau of International Cooperation.