President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi stressed on Sunday the leading role of Egypt and China in settling peace and development in Africa and internationally. In his speech before the Chinese Communist Academy in Beijing, Al-Sisi expressed Egypt’s keenness in developing relations between China and Africa and the Arab region.
Al-Sisi who arrived in China on Saturday for a four-day visit, signed with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping five cooperation agreements between the two countries. The agreements included cooperation regarding industrial quality, cooperation in projects related to productive capacity, a loan, and a Chinese-funded electric train that will run to Egypt’s planned New Administrative Capital, according to the official news agency MENA.
Ministers of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry, investment and international cooperation, Sahar Nasr, and Trade and Industry Amr Nassar signed the agreements with their Chinese counterparts. The deals included the manufacture of an Egyptian satellite.
Al-Sisi and Chinese president discussed boosting mutual cooperation and strategic partnership between the two countries. Al-Sisi is set to take part in the China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC) Forum that will be held on 3 and 4 September.
During his speech in the communist academy, the president added that Egypt is a historic partner for China in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) that the Chinese president called for in 2015 to revive the historic Silk Road. Al-Sisi expressed Egypt’s full support for the initiative and the projects that will be held in the Suez Canal Economic Zone in the framework of the initiative.
He also pointed out to the great efforts exerted by Egypt in the past four years to rebuild the state and economy. The president discussed with students of the academy, the Egyptian-Chinese relations, as well as the situation in Egypt and the Arab region. Al-Sisi also reviewed the new mega projects in Egypt in different fields and the economic reform.
Al-Sisi visited China four times in the past three years, while the Chinese president Xi Jinping paid an historical visit to Egypt early in 2016 to boost relations between the two countries.
