CAIRO, EGYPT / RankWire.AI / – Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Cairo for an official visit, coinciding with the celebration of 70 years of diplomatic relations between Egypt and China. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi welcomed Xi at Cairo International Airport on Tuesday, with First Lady Entissar El-Sisi present at the reception alongside Xi’s wife, Peng Liyuan. This marks Xi’s first trip to Egypt in a decade, as both governments reassess a bilateral relationship that encompasses political, economic, and developmental cooperation activities.
According to the Egyptian Presidency, the upcoming discussions will focus on bolstering bilateral ties across multiple sectors, including the agenda concerning the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership that was established in 2014. Both nations intend to hold consultations on regional and international issues of mutual concern. Since the partnership’s inception, El-Sisi and Xi have maintained consistent high-level communications, and Egypt has notably increased its involvement in China-related economic initiatives, including projects linked to infrastructure, manufacturing, and transportation.
The visit takes place alongside the 70th anniversary of formal Egypt-China diplomatic relations, with Egypt having been the first Arab and African nation to recognize the People’s Republic of China upon establishing diplomatic ties in 1956. El-Sisi commemorated this milestone in statements released before Xi’s arrival, and Xi himself acknowledged the significance of the anniversary ahead of the visit. Both leaders emphasized the seven decades of bilateral cooperation and noted the growth of their relationship since the inception of the comprehensive strategic partnership.
Seventy years of diplomatic engagement
Economic connections constitute a central element of the partnership. The Egyptian State Information Service reported that bilateral trade hit approximately $20.78 billion in 2025, up from roughly $17.37 billion in 2024, reflecting an increase of about 19.6%. China remains Egypt’s top trading partner for non-oil products, with Egyptian exports to China reaching $840.8 million during the first half of 2026, while imports from China amounted to approximately $10.4 billion in the same period.
Trade between the two nations totaled around $11.3 billion during the first six months of 2026, marking an increase from roughly $9.3 billion in the previous year. Egypt’s exports to China include fuels, mineral oils, vegetables, fruit, cotton, and phosphates. Additionally, Chinese investments and contracts continue to span several major Egyptian projects, including developments within the Suez Canal Economic Zone, the New Administrative Capital, and electric transport infrastructure serving regions east of Cairo.
Economic and developmental collaboration
The Egyptian State Information Service noted that Chinese investments in Egypt have supported projects within industrial zones and the Suez Canal Economic Zone, with Chinese firms participating in construction and transportation initiatives. Cooperation has further expanded into areas such as renewable energy, telecommunications, technology, and manufacturing, with shared interests in electric vehicles, energy storage batteries, electronic equipment, and desalination components. Broader technology cooperation also includes artificial intelligence and space sciences, forming part of the strategic bilateral framework.
The Egyptian Presidency stated that El-Sisi and Xi will utilize this visit to review the progress of their comprehensive strategic partnership, including discussions on political, developmental, and economic collaboration. Xi’s return to Cairo follows his previous visit to Egypt in 2016, emphasizing that this 70-year diplomatic milestone remains a key focus of their talks, as both nations examine ongoing projects, bilateral trade, and cooperation across an expanding array of sectors.