Guess: What is the probability of the "TEDA Cooperation Zone" appearing in the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation?

The 2024 FOCAC Summit will be held in Beijing from September 4 to 6. The leaders of China and Africa will discuss friendship, cooperation, and the future around the theme of "jointly advancing modernization and building a high-level China-Africa community with a shared future. One of Africa's most important economies-Egyptian Prime Minister Mudbuli will lead a delegation to attend the summit. Over the past 10 years since the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership between China and Egypt, bilateral relations have developed vigorously under the personal planning and guidance of the heads of state of the two countries. China-Egypt relations have become a vivid portrayal of China's solidarity and cooperation with Arab, African, Islamic and developing countries for mutual benefit and win-win results. As a model project of China-Egypt economic and trade cooperation, the China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone (TEDA Cooperation Zone) has always attracted the attention of the Chinese and Egyptian governments and heads of state. On the occasion of this grand gathering, what are the chances of the "TEDA Cooperation Zone" appearing? Let's first look at the facts that the TEDA Cooperation Zone has frequently appeared in previous bilateral events:

On May 29, 2024, President Xi Jinping held talks at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing with Egyptian President Sisi, who came to China to attend the opening ceremony of the 10th Ministerial Conference of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum and paid a state visit. The two sides issued the Joint Statement of the People's Republic of China and the Arab Republic of Egypt on Deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Article 4 of the "Statement": The two heads of state expressed satisfaction with the fruitful results of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two sides, which will help promote the development and prosperity of the two countries. This includes investments.China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone……

On the afternoon of December 8, 2022, President Xi Jinping met with President Sisi of Egypt in Riyadh. Xi Jinping stressed that China is willing to deepen cooperation with Egypt in the joint construction of "Belt and Road Initiative", promote the construction of the suburban railway of "Ramadan 10th City" and the central business district of the new administrative capital with high quality as scheduled, and implement it well."Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zoneand other major cooperation projects.

On April 25, 2019, President Xi Jinping met with President Sisi of Egypt at the Great Hall of the People. Xi Jinping stressed that China has always supported Egypt in exploring a development path in line with its national conditions, and is willing to actively participate in the Suez Canal Corridor development plan and continue to promote it.Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation ZoneCooperation in the fields of construction and production capacity and infrastructure construction.

On September 2, 2018, Premier Li Keqiang met with President Al-Sisi of Egypt at the Diaoyutai State Guesthouse. Li Keqiang said that China and Egypt complement each other's advantages, and China is willing to promote Chinese enterprises to invest in Egypt and make use of it.Suez Canal Industrial ParkCarry out cooperation in production capacity and processing trade, expand a broader market, and better achieve mutual benefit and win-win results. It is hoped that Egypt will provide preferential policies in taxation and other aspects for this. Sisi said that Egypt hopes to learn from China's development experience, welcomes Chinese enterprises to expand investment in Egypt, give full play to Egypt's geographical advantages, and make good use of Egypt's geographical advantages.Suez Canal Industrial ParkTo jointly develop the European, Middle East and African markets.

On January 21, 2016, President Xi Jinping and Egyptian President Sisi jointly unveiled the TEDA Cooperation Zone Extension Zone. Xi Jinping delivered an important speech entitled "jointly creating a better Future of Sino-Arab Relations" at the headquarters of the Arab League on the same day, mentioning the TEDA Cooperation Zone twice:

"I attended this morning.China-Egypt Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation ZoneAt the unveiling ceremony of the second phase, this project will introduce more than 100 enterprises, such as textile and clothing, petroleum equipment, motorcycle, solar energy, etc., which can create more than 10000 employment opportunities for Egypt."

"The Chinese side will... focus on advancingSuez Economic and Trade Cooperation ZoneConstruction, through personnel training, joint planning, cooperative factory construction, etc., to achieve the integration of processing, manufacturing, transportation and export."

President Xi Jinping held talks with President Sisi of Egypt at the Great Hall of the People on December 23, 2014. The two heads of state jointly decided to upgrade China-Egypt relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership. Sisi said that President Xi Jinping's initiative to jointly build the "Belt and Road" provides an important opportunity for Egypt's rejuvenation, and Egypt is willing to actively participate in and support it. The Egyptian side hopes to cooperate with the Chinese side in the development of the Suez Canal corridor andSuez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zoneand other projects to create better conditions to attract Chinese enterprises to invest in Egypt.

On March 27, 2013, President Xi Jinping met with President Morsi of Egypt in Durban, South Africa. Xi Jinping said that China is willing to continue to provide assistance to Egypt within its capacity. The two sides should focus on promoting cooperation in trade, investment, humanities and other fields, and do a good job.Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation ZoneProject. We believe that Egypt's national construction will definitely make new progress, and China-Egypt strategic cooperative relations will definitely make new progress.

In addition, on September 3, 2018, the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation officially opened, and the promotional film "Building a Dream with one Heart and sharing Destiny" was broadcast for the first time at the opening ceremony of the summit. The China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone appeared brilliantly at about 5 minutes.

It is worth noting that the above records are from published and well-documented media reports. Thus, the TEDA cooperation zone is almost an unavoidable topic in the bilateral activities between China and Egypt. So, can you guess, what are the chances of the TEDA cooperation zone appearing at this FOCAC summit? What occasions will it appear again?

-END-