Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday hailed the historic friendship and fruitful cooperation between China and Egypt, and called for greater concerted efforts to promote bilateral ties.
President Xi made the comments in an article published in a special issue of the China Today magazine’s Arabic edition, noting that over the past 60 years China and Egypt have maintained sound and steady development of bilateral relations and “set a model for China-Arab and China-Africa relations as well as for South-South cooperation.”
The Chinese president noted that the two nations have since ancient times carried out friendly exchanges and promoted mutual understanding through the land of maritime Silk Roads, recalling that Egypt was the first Arab and African nation to establish diplomatic ties with the People’s Republic of China.
“We are ready to work with the Egyptian side to carry forward our traditional friendship, learn from each other, and deepen our practical cooperation in various fields under the Belt and Road Initiative, so as to let our people share development benefits and enjoy a better life,” President Xi added.
The special issue was dedicated to the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Egypt, and released in Cairo on Wednesday before Xi arrived for a state visit to the Arab country.
The president is on his first over-seas visit in 2016, and will end the trip by visiting Iran after he concludes his visit of Egypt.
