CAIRO: Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Egypt on Wednesday for a state visit after attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Kyrgyzstan, as Beijing and Cairo seek to deepen political and economic cooperation.
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi welcomed Xi with a 21-gun salute and an honour guard at Cairo’s Ittihadiya Palace, according to Egyptian media.
Chinese state news agency Xinhua quoted Xi as saying China and Egypt had developed strong political trust, mutually beneficial cooperation and close coordination in multilateral affairs.
Furthermore, Xi highlighted 70 years of diplomatic relations, describing ties between the two countries as resilient despite changes in regional and international circumstances.
Xi Calls for Deeper China-Egypt Cooperation
Xi said he planned detailed discussions with Sisi covering bilateral relations, broader cooperation and international and regional issues of common concern.
Meanwhile, Sisi described Xi as a friend of the Egyptian people and said the visit would open a new phase in increasingly developed bilateral relations.
The Egyptian president highlighted expanding cooperation in trade, investment, tourism and cultural exchanges.
Xi also noted that Egypt became the first Arab and African country to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China.
Chinese President Rejects ‘External Interference’ in Middle East
Additionally, Xi called for the rejection of what he described as “external interference” in Middle Eastern affairs and urged outside powers to abandon double standards in dealing with the region, according to Xinhua.
His comments followed SCO meetings where China, Russia and other participating countries emphasised a multipolar international order.
The visit comes as Egypt continues expanding international partnerships, including closer economic and defence cooperation with several regional and global powers.
Beijing and Cairo have increasingly presented their relationship as one based on mutual respect, shared interests and multilateral cooperation.
