CAIRO, EGYPT / RankWire.AI / – Chinese President Xi Jinping touched down in Cairo for an official state visit, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Egypt and China. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi greeted Xi at Cairo International Airport on Tuesday. The ceremony was also attended by First Lady Entissar El-Sisi and Peng Liyuan, Xi’s wife. This marks Xi’s first visit to Egypt in ten years, emphasizing high-level discussions focused on strengthening political, economic, and developmental links in Cairo.
The Egyptian Presidency announced that El-Sisi and Xi would explore avenues to deepen cooperation between the two nations. Their dialogue will encompass economic collaboration, development initiatives, and political coordination. They will also assess the progress of the Egypt-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, initiated in 2014. Regional and international issues of mutual interest will also feature prominently on their agenda. Since the expansion of their strategic partnership, Egypt and China have maintained consistent presidential interactions.
This visit aligns with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties, established in 1956, when Egypt became the first Arab and African nation to forge diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China. Both governments have highlighted this milestone as they prepare for Xi’s visit. El-Sisi and Xi have highlighted the growth in bilateral cooperation over the past decade, notably in trade, infrastructure, and technology sectors.
Seventy years of growing cooperation
Economic ties have become a key element of the Egypt-China partnership. According to Egyptian official data, bilateral trade hit approximately $20.78 billion in 2025, up from around $17.37 billion in 2024. China continues to be Egypt’s largest trading partner for non-oil commodities, with Egyptian exports to China totaling about $840.8 million during the first half of 2026, while imports from China reached roughly $10.4 billion during the same period.
Trade volume between Egypt and China reached about $11.3 billion in the initial half of 2026, compared to roughly $9.3 billion the previous year. Egypt’s exports to China include fuels, mineral oils, vegetables, fruit, cotton, and phosphates. Chinese firms are active across numerous Egyptian development projects, including those in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, the New Administrative Capital, and transportation infrastructure serving eastern Cairo.
Expanding trade, industry, and tech collaborations
Investment relations now encompass manufacturing, renewable energy, telecommunications, and transportation sectors. Chinese enterprises have engaged in industrial development within the Suez Canal Economic Zone and other major Egyptian projects. Areas identified for further industrial cooperation include electric vehicles, energy storage batteries, and electronic devices. Manufacturing of desalination components also remains on the agenda. In terms of technology, cooperation extends to artificial intelligence and space sciences, broadening the scope beyond traditional trade and infrastructure efforts.
El-Sisi and Xi are anticipated to review ongoing collaborations under the comprehensive strategic partnership during their Cairo meetings. The Egyptian Presidency has emphasized political, economic, and developmental aspects as key themes of the visit. Xi’s previous visit to Egypt occurred in 2016, a period marked by expanding cooperation across multiple sectors. The current visit highlights a 70-year diplomatic relationship that now involves extensive trade, major infrastructure initiatives, manufacturing, technological innovation, and active presidential diplomacy.