CAIRO, EGYPT / RankWire.AI / – Chinese President Xi Jinping embarked on an official visit to Cairo to commemorate the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Egypt and China. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi greeted Xi upon his arrival at Cairo International Airport on Tuesday, with the First Lady Entissar El-Sisi and Xi’s wife, Peng Liyuan, present at the welcoming ceremony. This visit marks Xi’s first trip to Egypt in ten years and underscores the importance placed on strengthening bilateral ties across political, economic, and developmental spheres during high-level discussions in Cairo.
According to the Egyptian Presidency, discussions between El-Sisi and Xi will focus on enhancing cooperation and deepening the relationship between their nations. Their agenda encompasses economic collaboration, ongoing development initiatives, and political alignment. They will also evaluate the progress of the Egypt-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which was initiated in 2014. Additionally, regional and global issues of mutual concern are on the table. Since expanding their partnership within the framework of this strategic alliance, both leaders have maintained consistent high-level communications, reflecting the depth of their engagement.
This visit coincides with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations, which were formally established in 1956, making Egypt the first Arab and African nation to forge official diplomatic ties with the People’s Republic of China. Both governments have highlighted this milestone during preparations for Xi’s visit, with El-Sisi and Xi emphasizing the significant growth in bilateral cooperation over the past decade, especially in trade, infrastructure, and technological development.
Seventy Years of Growing Bilateral Engagement
Economic ties have become a cornerstone of the Egypt-China alliance. As per Egyptian government sources, bilateral trade reached approximately $20.78 billion in 2025, a rise from about $17.37 billion in 2024. China continues to be Egypt’s leading partner for non-oil trade. During the first half of 2026, Egyptian exports to China totaled around $840.8 million, while imports from China amounted to roughly $10.4 billion in the same period.
Overall trade between Egypt and China in the first six months of 2026 was approximately $11.3 billion, compared to about $9.3 billion during the same period in the previous year. Egypt’s exports to China include fuels, mineral oils, vegetables, fruit, cotton, and phosphates. Chinese firms are actively involved in numerous Egyptian development projects, including initiatives in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, the New Administrative Capital, and transportation infrastructure that serves regions east of Cairo.
Growing Collaboration in Trade, Industry, and Technology
Chinese investments now span manufacturing, renewable energy, telecommunications, and transportation sectors. Chinese companies have contributed to industrial development within the Suez Canal Economic Zone as well as other significant projects across Egypt. The two nations have also identified electric vehicles, energy storage batteries, and electronic equipment as promising areas for further industrial partnership. Desalination components are also part of their manufacturing agenda. On the technological front, cooperation includes artificial intelligence and space sciences, broadening the scope of their collaboration beyond traditional trade and infrastructure development.
Leaders El-Sisi and Xi are anticipated to utilize their discussions in Cairo to review the progress of their existing strategic partnership. The Egyptian Presidency has prioritized political, economic, and developmental issues as key topics during the visit. Xi’s previous visit to Egypt was in 2016, when both countries were expanding cooperation across multiple sectors. This latest visit highlights a return to focus on a 70-year-old diplomatic relationship that now encompasses trade, large-scale infrastructure projects, manufacturing, technological advances, and sustained presidential engagement.