Chinese PM to visit Egypt amid growing political, economic, military ties - Foreign Affairs
The visit comes at the invitation of Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and follows a period of intensified diplomatic and economic engagement between the two countries.
In May, Madbouly publicly welcomed an anticipated visit by the Chinese president and praised Beijing's support for Egypt in international forums. That same month, President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi visited Beijing, where he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. The two leaders reaffirmed a five-year framework for cooperation and marked the 10th anniversary of elevating their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership.
During the meeting, both sides agreed to prioritize technology transfer and industrial investment as part of broader economic collaboration.
Egypt and China have a long history of diplomatic relations. Egypt was the first Arab and African nation to establish diplomatic relations with China in 1956.
Economic ties
China and Egypt have strengthened economic ties in recent years, with Cairo seeking a larger share of Chinese investment in Africa. In May, Madbouly expressed hope that Egypt would benefit from the $52 billion in African investment announced at the China-Africa Cooperation Forum.
Chinese companies are involved in several large-scale projects in Egypt, including infrastructure development, port expansion, and the development of the electric railway system. The Central Business District in the New Administrative Capital is also being developed with Chinese involvement.
According to Egypt's Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS), trade between the two countries reached a peak of $16.6 billion in 2022. In Q4 2024, China was Egypt's largest trading partner, with bilateral trade reaching $4.31 billion, surpassing the United States at $2 billion, according to the Cabinet's Information and Decision Support Center (IDSC).
The General Authority for Investment and Free Zones (GAFI) reports that 2,800 Chinese companies operate in Egypt, with total investments exceeding $8 billion. These include firms such as OPPO, Huawei, Midea, and Haier.
GAFI is working to attract additional Chinese investment in sectors such as automotive manufacturing, textiles, electronics, renewable energy, and artificial intelligence, per the authority's CEO, Hossam Heiba. Plans are underway to establish a Chinese textile zone in Minya Governorate, in collaboration with the China National Textile and Apparel Council, under the export-supportive free zone system. Three Chinese companies — Haier, Midea, and Shen Feng — have been granted the golden license, consolidating all approvals required to establish and operate their businesses. In May, GAC Automotive announced a $300 million investment to build a car manufacturing plant in the country.
Trade between Egypt and China rose from $11.9 billion in January 2022 to $15.7 billion by January 2024. Egypt is also a participant in China's Belt and Road Initiative, through which it is seeking to upgrade infrastructure in energy, transport, and communications.
Military ties
Military cooperation between Egypt and China has also expanded. In April, the two countries held their first joint air force drills—Eagles of Civilisation 2025—at the Wadi Abu Rish Air Base near the Gulf of Suez.
According to Egypt's Ministry of Defence, the exercise included joint air sorties, combat simulations, and training on air operations planning. China's Ministry of National Defence described the drill as a milestone in military cooperation between the two countries.
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