China expands port and tech foothold from Morocco to the Canary Islands

Beijing is investing heavily in ports, factories and digital links that connect Morocco with the Canary Islands, creating a new China-led Atlantic corridor while U.S. attention remains limited.

China is quietly rebuilding a centuries-old trade route by linking Moroccan ports and industrial zones with the Canary Islands through ports, factories and digital infrastructure. After Morocco entered the Belt and Road Initiative in 2017, Chinese firms invested in projects such as the Mohammed VI Tangier Tech City, a $1.3 billion battery gigafactory in Kenitra, a $300 million cathode plant, and a 40 percent stake in Tangier Med 2, turning the port into Africa’s busiest container hub.

Meanwhile, under Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez, Chinese imports to the Canary Islands have risen, with state-linked fishing fleets operating from Las Palmas and growing aviation connections that frame the islands as an Atlantic logistics platform. The combined developments create a seamless commercial ecosystem across the Strait of Gibraltar, a historic choke point for trade and naval power. U.S. policymakers have largely treated these moves as isolated commercial deals, but the integrated network could provide China with lasting political and dual-use capabilities in the Atlantic. Experts suggest Washington should counter by deepening economic ties with Morocco and increasing American investment in Atlantic infrastructure to preserve strategic influence.