Egyptian-Chinese partnership to thrive in coming decades

On May 30, 1956, Egypt was the first Arab and African country to establish diplomatic relations with the People's Republic of China. This year marks the 60th anniversary of this historic step, and in commemoration of this event, the two sides agreed that the celebration will not be limited to one day only, but instead be a year-long celebration. They agreed to make 2016 the Sino-Egyptian Culture Year, in commemoration of the start of relations between the two countries.

Since then, relations have taken an upward trend, and they are bound to achieve even more success and prosperity, as they are more vibrant and dynamic than at any time before. During the last two years, there have been three presidential visits. During the first visit by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi to China, relations between the two countries were elevated to a "comprehensive strategic partnership". He will visit China again in September to attend the G20 summit in Hangzhou. Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Egypt last January and delivered a historical speech at the Arab League headquarters in Cairo. He also attended the inauguration of the Sino-Egyptian culture year in Luxor. These visits have and will have widespread effects.

The two countries have a shared strong will to strengthen and deepen their cooperation and coordination on all fronts. There is no doubt that the convergence in policies will help further strengthen relations. Both countries endorse a policy of non-interference in their foreign relations, call for win-win cooperation among nations, and reject double standards in dealing with international threats such as terrorism and separatism. The two countries also call for reform of international institutions such as the UN Security Council, the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Egypt also welcomes China to step up its role in helping to solve the problems in the Middle East.