New Book Traces 70 Years of Egypt-China Relations

A new book documenting 70 years of relations between Egypt and China has been published by Egypt’s State Information Service to coincide with President Xi Jinping’s visit to Cairo and the anniversary of formal diplomatic ties between the two countries.

Titled ‘Egyptian-Chinese Relations over 70 Years’, the volume is published in Arabic and Chinese and traces the relationship from 1956 to the current comprehensive strategic partnership.

The book begins with the April 1955 meeting between former Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser and Chinese Premier Zhou Enlai at the Bandung Conference, which preceded the establishment of diplomatic relations the following year.

It also covers the 1999 strategic partnership agreement and the subsequent expansion of cooperation across trade, investment, development, technology, culture and regional and international coordination.

The publication looks at bilateral cooperation through multilateral frameworks including the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum, BRICS, the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the New Development Bank.

Economic ties are a major focus, with bilateral trade rising from around USD 12.2 million in 1954 to more than USD 16 billion in 2024. The book also reviews Chinese investment in Egypt and cooperation in space, archaeology, vocational and technical education, technology transfer, professional training and tourism.

A dedicated photo section documents key moments in the relationship, including Chinese demonstrations supporting Egypt during the 1956 Tripartite Aggression, Zhou Enlai’s 1963 visit to Egypt, major summit meetings and images of cultural and economic cooperation.

The book was prepared by Abdel-Moaty Abu Zeid, a member of the SIS Board, and co-edited by Mostafa Abdel-Gawad, Director-General at the SIS Foreign Media Sector.