1. Political exchanges

 

China and Egypt established diplomatic relations on May 30,1956. And the relationship between the two countries has been developing very smoothly. In the 1960s, Premier Zhou Enlai visited Egypt three times. After that, President Li Xiannian, President Yang Shangkun, Premier Li Peng, Li Ruihuan, chairman of National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Vice Premier Zhu Rongji, Qiao Shi, chairman of Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (NPC), President Jiang Zeming and Vice Premier and Foreign Minister Qian Qichen have visited Egypt one after another. From the Egyptian side, President Mubarak (seven times), Premier Gan Zoury and Speaker of People's Assembly Souour visited China. In April 1999, when President Mubarak was visiting China, he signed a joint communiqué with President Jiang on establishing strategic cooperative relationship between the two countries.

 

Bilateral exchanges in 2000:

 

April 17, President Jiang Zemin met President Mubarak in Alexandra.

 

June 21-24, during his visit to Egypt, Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Relations Shi Guangsheng and the Egyptian Economic and Trade Minister jointly presided over the 4th session of Sino-Egyptian Economic and Trade Commission.

 

August 31, Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee Li Peng met the Egyptian Speaker of People's Assembly Souour during the UN Millennium Speakers Conference.

 

September 11, Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan met the Egyptian Foreign Minister.

 

October 10, Egyptian Assistant Minister Ibrahim Ali Hassan in charge of African Affairs led a delegation to attend the Beijing 2000 Ministerial Conference of the China-Africa Cooperation Forum.

 

November 16-19, Vice Premier Wu Bangguo visited Egypt.

 

Bilateral exchanges in 2001:

 

April 6-8, Vice Foreign Minister Yang Wenchang visited Egypt.

 

September 22, new Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liu Xiaoming presented credentials to President Mubarak.

 

December 25-28, Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan visited Egypt.

 

Bilateral exchanges in 2002:

 

April 19-23, Premier Zhu Rongji visited Egypt.

 

April 12-15, Minister of Education Chen Zhili visited Egypt.

 

January 23-26, Egyptian President Mubarak visited China.

 

Bilateral exchanges in 2003:

 

October 1, new Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Wu Sike presented credentials to President Mubarak.

 

October 21-23, Special Envoy on the Middle East Issue Wang Shijie visited Egypt.

 

Bilateral exchanges in 2004:

 

January 29-February 1, President Hu Jintao visited Egypt.

 

July 12-17, Guo Boxiong, member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, visited Egypt.

 

September 12-16, Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing attended the First Ministerial Meeting of the China-Arab Cooperation Forum and visited Egypt.

 

December 5-7, Commerce Minister Bo Xilai visited Egypt.

 

Bilateral exchanges in 2005:

 

April 8-10, Cao Gangchuan, minister of national defense, vice chairman of the CPC Military Commission and state councilor, visited Egypt.

 

August 4-9, Zhao Qizheng, minister of the State Council Information Office, visited Egypt.

 

2. Economic exchanges

 

The two sides have signed several agreements concerning trade, investment protection, avoidance of double taxation, etc., and a joint committee on trade and economic cooperation has had three meetings. Besides, the two countries have cooperated for mutual benefits in the fields like economic technology, labor contracting, etc. China has built many projects such as Cairo International Conference Center for Egypt.

 

In 2005, Sino-Egyptian trade volume reached US$2.145 billion, of which China's exports to Egypt were US$1.934 billion and imports from Egypt US$211 million.

 

3. Cultural exchanges

 

China and Egypt signed an official agreement on cultural cooperation in 1956. Now six implementation plans of cultural exchanges have been signed. China has attended almost every Cairo International Book Exhibition and International Movie Festival. On December 1995,China signed with Egypt a Memorandum of Understanding on the two countries' educational cooperation. Since 1972 China has sent sports coaches to Egypt.

 

4. Important bilateral agreements and documents

 

Joint Communiqué Between the Government of the People's Republic of China and the Government of Arab Republic of Egypt on Establishment of Diplomatic Relations at Ambassadorial Level (May 1956)

 

Joint Communiqué on Establishing Strategic Cooperative Relationship Between the People's Republic of China and Arab Republic of Egypt (April 1999)

 

(Chinese Foreign Ministry October 10, 2006)