Within the framework of exchange visits and strategic partnership that brings the Council and its partners in China, particularly the China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations (CICIR), a delegation of the China Institutes paid a visit to Cairo within the period of 15th to 18th October 2018 . The visiting included business dinner and discussions were held on Tuesday 16th October 2018. The Council’s delegation included Ambassadors/ Dr. Mounir Zahran; Chairman of the Council, Dr. Ezzat Saad; Director of the Council, Hisham Al-Zamaity; Secretary General of the Council, Ali Al-Hefny; Coordinator of the Permanent Committee for Asian Affairs in the Council, Dr. Mohamed Tawfik and Magdy Amer; members of the Council, while the Chinese delegation included each of : Prof. Liao Baizhi; Deputy Director of the Institutes, Mr. Gong Zheng and Ms. Tang Tianbo; Researchers at the institutes.
The discussion agenda included a number of themes as follows:
– Development of Egyptian- Chinese bilateral relations following President Al-Sisi’s recent visit for the attendance of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation (FOCAC).
– Results of China- Africa cooperation during the forum, as well as the latest developments with regards to the Belt and Road Initiative.
– American foreign policy and Regional Issues.
The discussions were concluded with a number of points, the most important of which, were:
– Both Egypt and China are aware of the facts of the changing situations in the region and the necessity for coordination between both States within the framework of the peaceful settlements of the Regional issues. As well as the developments witnessed in the bilateral relations in all fields, particularly in the political field aiming at the exchange of common expertise and visions on the developments witnessed by the political scene under what China is looking forwards to greater openness to the Region and World States in an attempt to correction of the mistakes brought about by Western practices that aimed at achieving their Political Agendas, which shall only be fulfilled by correct understanding of the situations in the region and that necessarily requires a strong partnership with Egypt as for its leading role in the region with the aim of playing a role in the settlement of crisis in regions of conflict in each of Yemen, Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq. Furthermore, China needs to be kept informed on developments related to the Palestinian Issue in order to stimulate the Palestinian parties to engage in an Inter-Palestinian Factions in-depth dialogue and to complete the reconciliation process, as well as to the Egyptian efforts made with regards to that context. All this comes within the framework of China’s aspiration of creating a more safe world and not taking a dominating role such as the one aspired by the west which led to the consequences from which the region currently suffers.
The need for promotion of security issues in order to be upgraded to suit the level of relations between the two countries has also been noted, especially that it has not been upgraded to express the depth of relations which brings both countries together, particularly the challenge of terrorism which is one of the most common challenges that represents a threat to the Chinese “Belt and Road Initiative” as well.
With regards to Chinese Investments in the African Continent and the challenges facing Chinese Investments within the framework of the initiative as well, the importance of transparent and in-depth confrontations with the accusations directed to China has been emphasized. It has also been affirmed that China aims at achieving development. Furthermore, studying the possibility of reducing interests over loans granted to states bound by the initiative, particularly the African States, especially these interests are high compared to their Global counterparts.
The meeting was concluded by emphasizing that the China-Africa Cooperation is not instantaneous but it extends for years as China has been and is still the first trade partner of the Continent’s States, and that is the case with many other developing Countries, for China is an effective partner that has been able to establish numerous projects which offered thousands of job opportunities and did not seek to interfere in the States’ internal affairs, impose domination over such states, or change their regimes; but sought the creation of an atmosphere suitable for investments, provision of facilities, transfer and exchange of information, technology, and Chinese expertise.
Chinese Foreign Policy primarily focuses on working for the protection of its interests in the region and achieving peace and stability through joint actions, and does not aim at causing damage to the region or repeating mistakes of the West therein by changing the region’s map with the resulting spread of terrorism and chaos, as well as using the region as a theatre of conflicts among the Super Powers in order to achieve their Agendas. But China aims to cooperate with our partners in the region, particularly Egypt in order to find the possibilities available for solving the crisis of the region and settling the situations. Particularly, China has no interests in getting involved in any conflict in the region which would lead to chaos that might cause threats to the Chinese Investments Projects and the Chinese Initiative.
China’s Vision is to take over its responsibilities as an International Power seeking the achievement of Global Peace and Stability, enhancement of Global Economic Cooperation, achievement of integration amongst World States, creation of a more safe and secure environment, helping Developing States in achieving their economic renaissance, promotion of such States for the eradication of poverty and destitution therein, and the creation of an environment that enables their People to achieve their interests.
