Moustafa Mashour and Mohamed Emam
Giza Governor Ahmed el-Ansary and Zhou Hongbo, member of the Standing Committee of the Jiangsu Provincial Party Committee and Secretary of the Nanjing Municipal Party Committee, signed a co-operation protocol establishing a sister-city relationship between Giza Governorate and the Chinese city of Nanjing.
The protocol is aimed at boosting friendship, mutual understanding and bilateral co-operation across a range of sectors.
Speaking during the signing ceremony, el-Ansary highlighted the deep-rooted strategic ties between Egypt and China, noting that relations between the two countries continue to advance at both official and people-to-people levels.
He said China’s development experience over recent decades represents a successful model from which Egypt can benefit in supporting development efforts and improving the quality of services provided to citizens.
The governor described the agreement as an important step toward expanding Giza’s international partnerships and benefiting from successful development experiences in various fields.
“Giza Governorate places great importance on building effective international partnerships that facilitate the exchange of expertise and successful experiences. We are confident that this protocol will serve as a key starting point for enhancing co-operation in cultural, educational, tourism and economic fields for the mutual benefit of both sides,” el-Ansary said.
Following the signing ceremony, the governor invited the Chinese delegation to visit several of Giza’s landmark tourist and archaeological sites, including the Giza Pyramids and the Grand Egyptian Museum, to gain first-hand insight into Egypt’s ancient civilisation and rich cultural heritage.
The agreement aims to strengthen friendship and mutual benefit through joint programmes and exchanges in culture, tourism, science and technology, education, heritage preservation and people-to-people engagement.
The protocol further provides for enhanced co-operation in cultural and artistic exchanges, urban governance, green space protection, carbon-emissions reduction, heritage conservation, e-commerce and emerging digital industries.
For his part, Zhou Hongbo welcomed the signing of the agreement, describing it as an important milestone in expanding communication and co-operation between the two sides.
He said Nanjing looks forward to developing long-term co-operation with Giza Governorate in culture, education, tourism, technology and urban development, noting that the agreement is the first co-operation arrangement of its kind between a Chinese city and an Egyptian governorate.
Zhou also pointed to the similarities between Giza and Nanjing, noting that both possess rich historical legacies and significant economic importance. He highlighted the presence of the Nile River in Giza and the Yangtze River in Nanjing, as well as the world-renowned Giza Pyramids and Nanjing’s prominent historical and cultural landmarks.
Under the agreement, Giza and Nanjing will establish a sister-city partnership based on equality, co-operation and mutual benefit for an initial five-year period, renewable upon mutual consent, with the aim of promoting shared development and prosperity.
