Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi began a five-day state visit to China arriving in Beijing on May 28. On May 28 the Egyptian President held talks with his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping, where the two leaders agreed on the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.They also expressed their rejection of the forced displacement of the Palestinian people from their lands.
While Al-Sisi highlighted the severe humanitarian, security, and political consequences of Israeli military operations in Rafah, for his part Xi commended Egypt’s efforts to de-escalate the conflict in Gaza and deliver humanitarian assistance.
On bilateral issues the two leaders discussed strengthening Egyptian-Chinese relations, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of elevating their relations to a comprehensive strategic partnership. They issued a joint statement detailing cooperation and coordination in various fields in the coming period. The two leaders witnessed the signing of multiple cooperation agreements, including a joint development plan for the Belt and Road Initiative and another for enhancing cooperation in technological innovation and communications technology. They also discussed bolstering Egyptian-Chinese cooperation in supporting Africa’s development efforts.
Also on Wednesday, Al-Sisi also met with the Chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China, Zhao Leji, to discuss enhancing political and economic cooperation.
