Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Chinese President Xi Jinping held official talks at Al-Ittihadiya Palace on Wednesday, discussing the expansion of bilateral cooperation, economic development, regional tensions and international issues.
President El-Sisi and First Lady Entissar El-Sisi welcomed President Xi Jinping and his wife during a formal reception held as part of the Chinese president’s official visit to Egypt. The ceremony featured a mounted horse formation, a 21-gun salute, an honor guard and the national anthems of Egypt and China. The two presidents and their wives later posed for a commemorative photograph.
The ceremonial reception was followed by expanded talks attended by delegations from both countries. The discussions focused on strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership between Egypt and China and broadening cooperation in investment, trade, manufacturing, infrastructure, energy, agriculture and information technology.
The two sides also witnessed the signing of an economic cooperation agreement and several memoranda of understanding. More than 20 additional cooperation documents were signed on the sidelines of the visit, covering technology, finance, the digital economy, transportation, communications and media.
At the conclusion of the official meetings, President El-Sisi and his wife hosted a luncheon in honor of President Xi, his wife and the accompanying Chinese delegation.
Egyptian presidential spokesman Mohamed El-Shenawy said President Xi thanked President El-Sisi for the warm welcome and expressed China’s appreciation for the growing and wide-ranging partnership between the two countries. President Xi reaffirmed Beijing’s commitment to implementing the comprehensive strategic partnership announced in 2014 and said China would continue encouraging its companies to increase investment in Egypt.
President Xi also highlighted the advantages of the Egyptian market, including the country’s strategic geographical position and its role as a gateway to Africa, the Arab world and international trade routes. He expressed support for continued cooperation in infrastructure, energy, industrial production and agriculture, including the exchange of technical expertise.
One of the most significant developments announced during the talks was an agreement to begin the third phase of expansion of the Egypt-China industrial zone within the Suez Canal Economic Zone. The new phase is expected to support investment and production in renewable energy, automobile manufacturing, textiles and chemical fibers.
The documents signed during the ceremony included a memorandum of understanding on priority areas of cooperation under Egypt’s Vision 2030 and China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The memorandum was signed on the Egyptian side by Foreign Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Expatriates Badr Abdelatty and on the Chinese side by Zheng Shanjie, chairman of China’s National Development and Reform Commission.
Egypt and China also signed an agreement on economic and technical cooperation. A separate memorandum addressed cooperation in industrial and supply chains, while another covered collaboration in information technology. An additional memorandum was signed between the Suez Canal Economic Zone and China’s Ministry of Commerce.
The presidential talks also addressed developments in the Middle East and other regional and international issues. The two leaders emphasized the importance of diplomatic efforts to resolve crises and conflicts and called for comprehensive and sustainable political settlements.
President El-Sisi stressed Egypt’s efforts to reduce regional escalation and said Cairo was prepared to continue coordinating with regional and international parties, particularly China in its capacity as a major international power and a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council.
The two presidents discussed efforts to lower tensions in the Middle East and supported initiatives aimed at reaching a comprehensive agreement to end the fighting. President El-Sisi underlined the importance of respecting the sovereignty and security of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries and Jordan, preserving their territorial integrity, protecting freedom of navigation and shielding civilians from the consequences of regional crises.
The Palestinian issue was also central to the discussions. President El-Sisi called for a just settlement based on international legitimacy and reviewed Egypt’s efforts to support implementation of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement in the Gaza Strip. He stressed the need to allow adequate humanitarian aid into Gaza, with particular attention to medical equipment and supplies.
The Egyptian president praised China’s support for Palestinian rights and its endorsement of the two-state solution as the only means of achieving a just and lasting peace for the Palestinian and Israeli peoples and the region as a whole.
President El-Sisi also raised Egypt’s concerns regarding the Nile River. He described the river as the country’s main lifeline and emphasized Egypt’s legitimate right to protect its water security, food security and development interests. He called on all Nile Basin countries to comply with international law, including the obligation not to cause harm to other states.
President Xi expressed China’s appreciation for Egypt’s efforts under President El-Sisi’s leadership to promote peace and stability in the Middle East and Africa. He also stressed the importance of strengthening coordination between Cairo and Beijing in international forums and on regional and global matters.
The two presidents agreed to continue deepening bilateral relations and increasing consultations on issues of shared interest. The meeting came as Egypt and China celebrate 70 years of diplomatic ties and seek to broaden their partnership through new investment, industrial and technological projects.
The following is President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s speech at the beginning of the talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping:
“At the outset, I welcome my friend, Chinese President Xi Jinping, to Egypt on a historic visit that coincides with the celebration by our two countries of 70 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between them. These relations were established in 1956, when Egypt became the first Arab and African country to recognize and establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China.
“As Your Excellency knows, relations between our two friendly countries have developed to the point where they were elevated to the level of a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2014. This has enabled the two countries to play an effective role in shaping international interactions within a global system that is witnessing successive and important changes at the present stage.
“I am pleased to commend the tangible progress achieved in Egyptian-Chinese relations across various fields, amid a clear political will to advance the prospects of bilateral cooperation, particularly with regard to localizing industry and transferring technology, given that this is a priority for both countries. We look forward to continuing to work with China to achieve further fruitful results.
“As a manifestation of the foregoing, I take this opportunity to announce the agreement to launch the third phase of the expansion of the Egyptian-Chinese industrial zone in the Suez Canal Economic Zone. This will usher in a new phase of activity in key sectors such as renewable energy, automobile manufacturing, textiles and chemical fibers.
“With regard to the regional situation, Egypt is working to reduce the state of escalation in the region and give priority to diplomatic solutions for settling crises in a manner that contributes to achieving peace and supporting development for the peoples of the region. I welcome the convergence of the positions of our two countries on regional issues of common concern.
“In this context, I affirm Egypt’s readiness to continue coordinating with all regional and international parties, particularly with China as a pivotal country and a permanent member of the Security Council, to strengthen efforts aimed at reducing regional tensions, advancing development efforts and addressing international challenges that no single country can deal with alone. This meeting represents an important opportunity to exchange views and ideas in this regard.”
