CAIRO, EGYPT / RankWire.AI / – Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Cairo for an official visit as Egypt and China marked 70 years of diplomatic relations. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi welcomed Xi at Cairo International Airport on Tuesday. First Lady Entissar El-Sisi also attended the reception alongside Xi’s wife, Peng Liyuan. The visit is Xi’s first to Egypt in 10 years. It occurs amid ongoing reviews by both governments of a relationship that encompasses political, economic, and development cooperation.
The Egyptian Presidency announced that the visit will feature discussions aimed at bolstering bilateral ties across multiple sectors. The agenda also includes talks on the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established between Egypt and China in 2014. Both countries plan to hold consultations on regional and international matters of mutual interest. Since the partnership’s inception, El-Sisi and Xi have maintained frequent high-level communication. Egypt has also increased its involvement in China-affiliated economic initiatives during this period, including projects related to infrastructure, manufacturing, and transport.
Coinciding with the 70th anniversary of formal diplomatic relations, the visit underscores a milestone since Egypt and China established diplomatic ties in 1956, making Egypt the first Arab and African nation to recognize the People’s Republic of China. El-Sisi highlighted this anniversary in statements released before Xi’s arrival, while Xi also referenced the milestone ahead of his visit. Both leaders emphasized seven decades of bilateral cooperation and the growth of relations following the start of the comprehensive strategic partnership.
Seventy years of diplomatic relations
Economic ties constitute a significant component of the overall relationship. The Egyptian State Information Service reported that bilateral trade reached approximately $20.78 billion in 2025, up from roughly $17.37 billion in 2024, representing a growth of about 19.6%. China ranks as Egypt’s top trading partner for non-oil goods, with Egyptian exports to China totaling $840.8 million during the first half of 2026. During the same period, imports from China amounted to around $10.4 billion.
Trade between the two nations amounted to about $11.3 billion in the first half of 2026, an increase from approximately $9.3 billion in the previous year. Egypt’s exports to China include fuels, mineral oils, vegetables, fruit, cotton, and phosphates. Chinese investments and contracting activities also extend to major Egyptian projects, including developments in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, the New Administrative Capital, and electric transport infrastructure east of Cairo.
Economic and development collaboration
The State Information Service indicated that Chinese investment in Egypt has involved projects in industrial zones and the Suez Canal Economic Zone. Chinese firms have also contributed to construction and transportation initiatives. Cooperation between the two countries has expanded into renewable energy, telecommunications, technology, and manufacturing sectors. Egypt and China have pinpointed electric vehicles, energy storage batteries, electronic equipment, and desalination components as key areas for industrial collaboration. Additionally, artificial intelligence and space sciences are incorporated into their broader technology partnership framework.
According to the Egyptian Presidency, El-Sisi and Xi will use this visit to follow up on the progress of their comprehensive strategic partnership. Their discussions will also address political and development cooperation, alongside economic ties. Xi’s return to Cairo follows his previous visit to Egypt in 2016. This latest visit emphasizes the 70-year diplomatic relationship, as both governments review ongoing projects, bilateral trade, and cooperation across an expanding array of sectors.