President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi affirmed on Sunday Egypt's keenness to enhance the comprehensive strategic partnership that links Cairo and Beijing, especially since this year coincides with the 65th anniversary of the establishment of Egyptian-Chinese diplomatic relations. El-Sisi remarks came during a meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday, which was aso attended by Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry and Chinese Ambassador in Cairo Liao Liqiang. Throughout the 65 years, the relations have witnessed an extended course of cooperation and coordination between the two countries in various fields, as well as benefiting from the Chinese experience, which is a success story that the world seeks to study with the aim of promoting comprehensive development for the prosperity and well-being of peoples, the Egyptian presidency said in a statement. Presidential Spokesperson Bassam Rady said that El-Sisi welcomed the Chinese minister in Egypt and asked him to convey his greetings to China's President Xi Jinping. For his side, the Chinese minister conveyed to El-Sisi a verbal message from President Xi Jinping, which included an affirmation of China's keenness to continue developing its strategic relations with Egypt. Wang Yi pointed to his country's respect and appreciation for Egypt and its president in light of its pivotal role as a mainstay for stability in the Middle East, and China's firm support for Egypt in comprehensive development efforts, combating terrorism and achieving security and stability in the region, the statement said. In relation to strengthening of bilateral cooperation between the two countries at the international level, Wang Yi confirmed the acceptance of Egypt's membership as a dialogue partner in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), which deals with coordination and cooperation in the fields of combating terrorism and extremism, energy and science. Moreover, Rady stated that the meeting reviewed the prospects for enhancing aspects of cooperation between the two countries, with both hailing the coordination that took place at the highest levels since the outbreak of the coronavirus crisis. Such coordination led to the signing of the joint locally manufacturing agreement for the "Sinovac" coronavirus vaccine, which supports the strategy of nationalizing the pharmaceutical and vaccine industry in Egypt. The two sides expressed the aspiration to continue the fruitful cooperation between the two countries at all levels in an effort to strengthen international efforts in facing the repercussions of the pandemic, the presidential spokesman noted. El-Sisi also stressed the keenness to benefit from the distinguished Chinese expertise in supporting development programs, activities and national projects in the country, especially in light of the modern infrastructure that Egypt currently enjoys, which is integrated with the Chinese initiative the Belt and Road, as well as the important role played by the "Chinese-Egyptian Zone for Economic Cooperation and Trade" in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, as a successful model for investment cooperation between the two countries, the statement said. The latest developments related to the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) were also discussed during Sunday's meeting, Rady said. El-Sisi stressed Egypt's firm stance in preserving its water security represented by its historical rights to the Nile waters by reaching a legally binding agreement to fill and operate the GERD that achieves the interests of all in a fair manner, Rady noted. The Chinese foreign minister made clear his country's full understanding of the utmost importance of the Nile River to Egypt, and therefore China would continue its interest in reaching a resolution to this issue in a manner that meets the interests of all parties, the statement said.
