"Looking forward to cooperating with China to implement more projects"-Interview with Egyptian Prime Minister Madabli

Source: People's Daily

Reporter Huang Peizhao

Workers are working in the transformer production workshop of Xidian Egypt Company, located in the TEDA Cooperation Zone.

"The Forum on China-Africa Cooperation is an important platform for Africa-China collective dialogue. It has made remarkable achievements in promoting Africa-China cooperation and enriched the connotation of Africa-China relations." Egyptian Prime Minister Madbouli said in an interview with our reporter a few days ago that since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Egypt and China, bilateral relations have continued to develop, and cooperation in political, economic and other fields has yielded fruitful results. Egypt hopes to further consolidate and strengthen Egypt-China relations and achieve mutual benefit and win-win results.

Madbouli said that in 1956, Egypt became the first Arab and African country to establish diplomatic relations with New China, reflecting the special relationship between Egypt and China. Egypt is China's comprehensive strategic partner, and this year marks the 10th anniversary of the establishment of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries. Egypt is one of the first countries to join the "Belt and Road" initiative. Egypt appreciates China's global development initiative, global security initiative, and global civilization initiative.

Madbouli said that at the political level, the two countries have closely exchanged high-level visits to deepen mutual understanding. In May of this year, Egyptian President Sisi visited China, and the two heads of state announced this year as the "Year of Egypt-China Partnership". At the economic level, China is Egypt's largest trading partner, with a trade volume of US $more than 15 billion billion in 2023. The two countries have strengthened financial cooperation, and Egypt has successfully issued "panda bonds" in the Chinese market ". The cooperation between Egypt and China in the field of energy is also very extensive.

Madbouli has visited China many times and attended the third "Belt and Road" International Cooperation Summit Forum in China in October last year. He said that Egypt is an important link between Asia, Africa and Europe, and the Suez Canal is an important channel for sea transportation. Egypt can play an important role in promoting cooperation in building the "Belt and Road.

For example, Madbouli said that the China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone is one of the most important cooperation projects under the framework of the joint construction of the "Belt and Road" between Egypt and China. As of July this year, the economic and trade cooperation zone has attracted 170 enterprises, with actual investment exceeding 2.1 billion US dollars and cumulative sales of nearly 4.9 billion US dollars. The economic and trade cooperation zone also focuses on attracting new energy projects, encouraging enterprises to pay attention to environmental protection, and promoting green and low-carbon development in Egypt. Madbouli said that Chinese enterprises have also participated in the construction of the central business district project of Egypt's new administrative capital and the light rail project of Egypt's Ramadan 10th city. "We look forward to cooperating with China to implement more projects".

Madbouli said that in the 24 years since the establishment of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, Africa and China have enhanced mutual understanding, and China's ties with African countries, the African Union, and African sub-regional organizations have been further strengthened. Within the framework of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, Africa and China have continuously strengthened trade exchanges and investment cooperation, and jointly implemented many cooperation projects. The cooperation between the two sides under the framework of jointly building "the belt and road initiative" has also achieved fruitful results.

Madbouli said Egypt is committed to consolidating and strengthening its cooperative relations with China. "Our goal is to achieve a win-win situation and ensure that both sides can benefit."

Madbuli said that in the future, Egypt will focus on attracting more Chinese investment, and especially look forward to strengthening cooperation in areas of common concern to both sides, such as new energy, green economy, and digital transformation. Egypt will increase investment in tourism such as the hotel industry to attract more Chinese tourists.

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