President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi expressed on Thursday his support to the Chinese initiative to revive the Eurasia Silk Road, asserting that new Suez Canal Corridor could be the pivot of the Asian trade. "Egypt's geographic location is strategic and distinguished and China has relations with the whole world. So, both Egypt and China have the right to cooperate, using the Chinese industrial and investment capabilities and the Egyptian distinguished locations," Sisi added during a press conference at the presidential palace in Cairo. The New Chinese Silk Road and Belt - from China across Central Asia and Russia to Europe - have become the centerpiece of China's economic policy, aiming to reinforce China's emerging role at the international economy. Ahead of his scheduled official four-day visit to Beijing in Dec. 22, Sisi described the Chinese-Egyptian ties as "very special, strong and stable" and praised China's balanced policies toward other countries. The president asserted that his visit seeks increasing the Chinese investment in the country, explaining that the Chinese companies have great chances to invest at the Suez Canal Corridor projects. "We are developing projects around the Suez Canal Corridor to provide ships with services like fuel, food, etc. There is a great chance to cooperate with China in these projects," he said. The expansion of the original Suez Canal, kicked off last August, aims to boost the country economy by increasing the number of passing ships through the international water passage. The new Suez Canal is expected to be open for ship navigation in early August 2015.
