Qin Gang on the Outcomes and Common Understandings of the Egypt Visit

Qin Gang on the Outcomes and Common Understandings of the Egypt Visit

Qin Gang on the Outcomes and Common Understandings of the Egypt Visit

Qin Gang on the Outcomes and Common Understandings of the Egypt Visit

On January 15, 2023 local time, Foreign Minister Qin Gang told the press in Cairo that in 2016 he accompanied the Chinese state leader visiting Egypt. He quoted the Egyptian proverb “Whoever drinks from the Nile will always return to it” and expressed that he felt particularly warm when coming back this time. China and Egypt enjoy traditional friendship and a high-quality comprehensive strategic partnership with fruitful outcomes. In recent years, under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, China-Egypt relations have achieved leapfrog development. Especially in the past three years, China and Egypt have stayed united and helped each other in the fight against COVID-19, deepening and enriching the comprehensive strategic partnership. Qin said that during his visit to Egypt, he had in-depth exchanges with the Egyptian side on implementing the important common understandings reached by the two heads of state, and the two sides reached extensive common grounds on bilateral relations and regional and international issues of mutual interest and concern.

The two sides agreed that China and Egypt have solid strategic mutual trust and need to continue their firm support to each other on issues concerning each other’s core interests and major concerns. China thanks Egypt for its valuable support on issues concerning China’s core interests, including Taiwan question and the matters concerning Xinjiang. China firmly supports Egypt in pursuing a development path suited to its national conditions, and supports Egypt in defending national sovereignty and security and achieving development and revitalization.

The two sides agreed that the Belt and Road cooperation between China and Egypt has yielded fruitful results and enjoys huge potential. China is ready to further synergize the development strategies with Egypt and jointly implement the Global Development Initiative. China is ready to work with Egypt to advance the development of major projects, import more quality Egyptian products, and encourage more Chinese companies to invest and do business in Egypt, so as to achieve greater mutual benefit and win-win results.

The two sides agreed that China and Egypt have profound civilizations. Both sides need to continue the  expansion of cultural and people-to-people exchanges, actively promote exchanges between think tanks, youth and media of the two countries, and realize deeper people-to-people bonds. China has now improved and re-calibrated its prevention and control measures in light of the evolving pandemic situations. It will facilitate people-to-people exchanges between China and other countries. The Chinese side appreciates that Egypt welcomes Chinese tourists to visit. China believes that in the near future, the number of Chinese tourists and flights to Egypt will return to or even rise above pre-pandemic levels.

The two sides agreed that China and Egypt share similar views and positions in regional and international affairs. Both sides need to coordinate more closely to promote the political settlement of regional hotspot issues, jointly uphold the basic norms governing international relations, safeguard the principle of non-interference in internal affairs, and defend the common interests of developing countries.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.