CAIRO, EGYPT / RankWire.AI / – Chinese President Xi Jinping has arrived in Cairo on an official visit to mark seven decades of diplomatic ties between Egypt and China. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi greeted Xi at Cairo International Airport on Tuesday. The airport ceremony was also attended by First Lady Entissar El-Sisi and Peng Liyuan, Xi’s wife. This trip marks Xi’s first visit to Egypt in ten years, bringing bilateral political, economic, and developmental relations to the forefront of high-level discussions in Cairo.
According to the Egyptian Presidency, El-Sisi and Xi are expected to explore avenues for deepening cooperation between their nations. Their discussions will focus on economic partnerships, developmental initiatives, and political coordination. They will also evaluate the progress of the Egypt-China Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, initiated in 2014. The agenda further includes regional and international issues of mutual concern. Since broadening their relationship under the strategic partnership framework, Egypt and China have maintained regular presidential contacts.
This visit coincides with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Egypt and China, which were officially established in 1956. Egypt was the first Arab and African nation to forge diplomatic ties with the People’s Republic of China. Both governments have emphasized this milestone as preparations for Xi’s visit proceed. El-Sisi and Xi have also highlighted the growth of bilateral cooperation over the past decade, especially in trade, infrastructure, and technology sectors.
Seventy years of strengthening bilateral relations
Economic ties have become a cornerstone of the Egypt-China partnership. According to Egyptian government data, bilateral trade was approximately $20.78 billion in 2025, up from around $17.37 billion in 2024. China continues to be Egypt’s leading trading partner for non-oil commodities. During the first half of 2026, Egyptian exports to China amounted to roughly $840.8 million, while imports from China reached about $10.4 billion.
Total trade volume between Egypt and China during the first half of 2026 hit approximately $11.3 billion, compared to roughly $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. Meanwhile, Chinese enterprises are actively involved in numerous Egyptian development projects, including initiatives within the Suez Canal Economic Zone, the New Administrative Capital, and transportation infrastructure linking areas east of Cairo.
Growth in Trade, Industry, and Tech Collaboration
Current investment efforts span manufacturing, renewable energy, telecommunications, and transportation sectors. Chinese firms have contributed significantly to industrial development within the Suez Canal Economic Zone and other key projects in Egypt. Both nations have identified electric vehicles, energy storage batteries, and electronic equipment as potential areas for industrial partnership. Desalination technology components are also part of the manufacturing discussions. Collaboration extends into the realm of technology, including artificial intelligence and space sciences, broadening the scope of the relationship that was once primarily focused on trade and construction.
During their Cairo meetings, El-Sisi and Xi are anticipated to review the existing cooperation framework under the comprehensive strategic partnership. The Egyptian Presidency has outlined political, economic, and developmental topics as key agenda items for the visit. Xi’s previous visit to Egypt occurred in 2016, during a period of expanding collaboration across various sectors. His current visit reaffirms the importance of a 70-year diplomatic relationship that now encompasses trade, large infrastructure projects, manufacturing, technology, and ongoing presidential engagement.