CAIRO, EGYPT / RankWire.AI / – Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Cairo to undertake an official visit as Egypt and China commemorated 70 years of diplomatic relations. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi welcomed Xi at Cairo International Airport on Tuesday. The airport reception was also attended by First Lady Entissar El-Sisi and Xi’s wife, Peng Liyuan. This visit marks Xi’s first trip to Egypt in ten years. It underscores the importance of bilateral political, economic, and developmental relations through high-level discussions in Cairo.
The Egyptian Presidency announced that El-Sisi and Xi planned to explore avenues to enhance their countries’ ties. Their agenda covers economic collaboration, development initiatives, and political coordination. Additionally, the leaders will review the progress of the Egypt-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, established in 2014. They will also discuss regional and international issues of mutual concern. Since expanding their relationship under the strategic partnership framework, Egypt and China have maintained frequent presidential exchanges.
This visit coincides with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Egypt and China. Formal relations were initiated in 1956, making Egypt the first Arab and African nation to establish diplomatic links with the People’s Republic of China. Both governments highlighted this milestone during the preparations for Xi’s visit. El-Sisi and Xi have also emphasized the growth of bilateral cooperation over the past decade, especially in trade, infrastructure, and technology sectors.
Celebrating Seven Decades of Growing Diplomatic and Trade Relations
Economic ties have become a central element of the Egypt-China partnership. According to Egyptian government statistics, bilateral trade was approximately $20.78 billion in 2025, up from about $17.37 billion in 2024. China continues to be Egypt’s top trading partner for non-oil products. During the first half of 2026, Egyptian exports to China reached around $840.8 million, while imports from China totaled roughly $10.4 billion during the same period.
Overall trade between Egypt and China hit about $11.3 billion in the first half of 2026, compared to roughly $9.3 billion during the same period last year. Egypt’s exports to China include fuels, mineral oils, vegetables, fruit, cotton, and phosphates. Chinese firms are involved in numerous development projects across Egypt. These include initiatives in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, the New Administrative Capital, and transportation infrastructure east of Cairo.
Trade Expansion, Industry Collaboration, and Tech Development Accelerate
Investment cooperation now extends to manufacturing, renewable energy, telecommunications, and transportation sectors. Chinese companies have played active roles in industrial development within the Suez Canal Economic Zone and other major Egyptian projects. Both nations are exploring areas such as electric vehicles, energy storage batteries, and electronic equipment for industrial partnerships. Desalination technology components are also part of the manufacturing agenda. In addition, cooperation in artificial intelligence and space sciences is expanding, diversifying the relationship beyond trade and construction.
El-Sisi and Xi are anticipated to review their current cooperation under the comprehensive strategic partnership during their Cairo meetings. The Egyptian Presidency emphasized the importance of political, economic, and developmental relations in the agenda. Xi’s last visit to Egypt was in 2016, a period when their collaboration across multiple sectors was growing. His current visit renews focus on a 70-year diplomatic alliance that now encompasses trade, infrastructure, manufacturing, technology, and consistent presidential engagement.