Egypt’s State Information Service (SIS) has issued a new book documenting seven decades of Egypt-China relations, tracing their development from the establishment of diplomatic ties in 1956 to the current comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
Titled Egyptian-Chinese Relations over 70 Years, the book was published to coincide with Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Egypt and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Cairo and Beijing.
Published in both Arabic and Chinese, the book documents key milestones in political, economic, cultural, scientific and technological co-operation between the two countries.
In the introduction, SIS Chairman Ambassador Alaa Youssef wrote the Egyptian-Chinese relations have deep historical and civilisational roots.
Egypt was the first Arab and African country to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China, marking the beginning of a long-standing relationship based on co-operation and mutual engagement, he said.
Bilateral relations have developed steadily over the decades, expanding from co-operation in specific areas into a comprehensive strategic partnership encompassing the economy, development, trade, investment, technology, culture and other fields, the SIS chief added.
Under leadership of President Xi Jinping, who took office in 2013, and President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, who became Egypt’s president in 2014, had helped take bilateral relations to new horizons, Youssef noted.
The two leaders share similar views on development, peace and stability, he said, while co-ordination and co-operation between the two countries have also expanded across a range of regional and international issues.
China has become a key partner for Egypt in development, trade, technology and culture, Youssef said.
By the same token, Egypt is a key partner for China in the Middle East and a major gateway to Africa.
The progress achieved over recent years has laid a strong foundation for further expanding co-operation between the two countries, he said.
The book was prepared by Abdel-Moaty Abu Zeid, a member of the SIS Board, and co-edited by Mostafa Abdel-Gawad, Director-General at the SIS Foreign Media Sector.
It traces the historical roots of the Egyptian-Chinese relations, beginning with the landmark meeting between former Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser and Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai in Bandung, Indonesia, in April 1955. The meeting preceded the formal establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The publication also reviews major milestones in bilateral ties, including the signing of the strategic partnership agreement in 1999 and the significant expansion of relations in recent years.
Particular attention is given to political, economic, development, cultural, scientific and technological co-operation, as well as co-ordination between Egypt and China through a number of multilateral frameworks and organisations.
These include the Forum on China-Africa Co-operation, the China-Arab States Co-operation Forum, BRICS, the Shanghai Co-operation Organisation, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the New Development Bank.
The book also highlights the significant growth in economic relations between the two countries, with bilateral trade rising from around $12.2 million in 1954 to more than $16 billion in 2024.
It reviews the expansion of Chinese investment in Egypt and co-operation across a number of key sectors.
The publication also covers cultural and scientific co-operation, including in the fields of space, archaeology, vocational and technical education, technology transfer, professional training and the exchange of expertise.
It further highlights the continued growth in Chinese tourism to Egypt.
A dedicated photo section documents important moments in the history of bilateral relations, including demonstrations in China in support of Egypt during the 1956 Tripartite Aggression, as well as Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai’s historic visit to Egypt in 1963.
The section also features photographs of major summit meetings between the leaders of the two countries and showcases cultural and economic co-operation, along with major Chinese projects and investments in Egypt.
The publication forms part of the SIS’s efforts to document and highlight Egypt’s relations with partner countries and to provide reliable information on key milestones in these relationships and their development across various fields.
