Egypt’s Air Force and the Chinese company CATIC, a leading manufacturer of fighter aircraft, have celebrated 45 years of joint co-operation, with the arrival of the company’s first fighter jets to the Egyptian Air Force.
The celebrations were held at the Saladin Citadel, which reflected the deep-rooted bilateral relations, and the strategic ties between the two nations. CATIC representatives and the Chinese Ambassador in Cairo attended the event.
The celebrations included a tour of the Military Museum in the Citadel, which depicts a major historical era for Egypt. The visitors were offered a detailed account of the museum’s history.
Commander of the Air Force Lieutenant General Mahmoud Fouad Abdel Gawad, delivered a speech, and conveyed greetings and appreciation of General Abdel Meguid Saker, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Minister of Defense and Military Production, and Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces Lieutenant General Ahmed Khalifa, to the attendees.
Abdel Gawad highlighted the well-established co-operation between the Egyptian and Chinese air forces, which benefits both sides. He voiced hope that the coming stage will witness further fruitful co-operation, contributing to raising the level of combat readiness of the air forces, as well as keeping pace with the tremendous technological developments being continuously witnessed in the aircraft industry.
For his part, CATIC’s CEO highly appreciated organising the celebration, which reflects the distinguished relations between the two sides. He also highlighted the partnerships binding the Egyptian and Chinese air forces to enhance the combat capabilities and create a climate for the exchange of expertise, based on integrated scientific foundations that maximise the benefit from the human element and modern technological systems.
The Ambassador of China also delivered a speech in which he voiced appreciation of the Egyptian Armed Forces and China’s keenness on opening up fresh horizons of co-operation with Egypt, building on the historical record of the strategic partnership between the two countries.
