Chinese President Xi Jinping said China will continue to enhance cooperation with Egypt and Palestine under the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and the Global Security Initiative (GSI).
As the regional and international environments are undergoing profound, complex changes, the strategic and overarching importance of China-Egypt relations has become all the more evident, said President Xi when meeting with his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Thursday.
The visions and interests that China and Egypt share mean that the two sides need to work together toward the building of a China-Egypt community with a shared future in the new era and toward greater advancement of the China-Egypt comprehensive strategic partnership, Xi added.
Underscoring that China firmly supports Egypt in choosing a development path that suits its national conditions and in safeguarding national sovereignty, security and development interests, he said China is ready to deepen Belt and Road cooperation with Egypt, ensure the on-schedule and high-quality completion of the train project in the 10th of Ramadan City and the Central Business District (CBD) in the new administrative capital of Egypt, and make the China-Egypt Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone and other major cooperation projects a success.
For his part, Sisi said Egypt will continue to work with China to advance Belt and Road cooperation and welcomes China’s active participation in important infrastructure projects in Egypt.
Egypt’s doors are wide open to Chinese companies wishing to invest and seek cooperation in the country, Sisi added.
During his meeting with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in Riyadh on Thursday, President Xi said China commends Palestine’s active participation and efforts in promoting the collective cooperation between China and Arab states, and will increase communication and cooperation with Palestine on advancing China-Arab relations and delivering the GDI and the GSI.
All Palestinian people hold sincere affections for the Chinese people, Abbas said, noting that China’s positions on the international stage are fair and just, and its initiatives and propositions positive and constructive.
The GDI was proposed by Xi last year to steer global development toward a new stage of balanced, coordinated and inclusive growth. He also proposed the GSI in April to promote world peace and security.
So far, China has signed BRI cooperation documents with 21 Arab countries and the Arab League.
(With input from Xinhua)