China to advance comprehensive strategic partnership with Egypt

Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi in Xiamen, southeast China's Fujian Province, Sept. 5, 2017. Sisi came to Xiamen to attend the Dialogue of Emerging Market and Developing Countries. (Xinhua/Ju Peng)

President Xi Jinping said Tuesday that China will always firmly support Egypt's efforts to maintain stability and accelerate development, and stands ready to advance the comprehensive strategic partnership with the Middle East country.

Xi made the remarks when meeting with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, who came to the southeastern Chinese coastal city of Xiamen to attend the Dialogue of Emerging Market and Developing Countries.

In recent years, bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership has gained steam with increased political trust, economic and trade cooperation, and people-to-people and cultural exchanges, Xi said.

He said China attaches great importance to the bilateral ties, calling for maintaining frequent high-level exchanges and offering mutual support on issues concerning each other's core interests.

The two countries must synergize their development strategies and make Egypt a pillar country along the Belt and Road through cooperation on infrastructure construction and industrial capacity, Xi said.

The Chinese side encourages its companies to invest in Egypt and is willing to promote trade and investment facilitation together with the Egyptian side. The two countries should also deepen cooperation on anti-terrorism and law enforcement, and strengthen coordination on international and regional affairs, the president said.

Sisi said Egypt supports the Belt and Road Initiative, and is willing to dovetail its development strategy with the initiative and expand cooperation with China on investment and infrastructure construction.

He said the Egyptian side appreciates China hosting the Dialogue of Emerging Market and Developing Countries, and agrees that developing countries should deepen cooperation.

After the bilateral meeting, the two heads of state witnessed the signing of a series of cooperation documents, covering economy, technology, transport and law enforcement.