Monday, January 16, 2023
Egypt aims to increase Chinese tourism to the Middle Eastern country, which has for years struggled to revive its vital tourism sector, Egypt Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said.
A discussion was held on Sunday in Cairo between China’s chief diplomat and Egyptian and Arab League officials. Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang met with his Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry as well as Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit. This marked the Chinese Minister’s last stop in a multi-leg trip to Africa that aims to consolidate Beijing’s footprint across the resource-rich continent.
Both ministers said they also discussed regional issues including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The Chinese foreign minister said Beijing would continue to develop its investment in Egypt’s infrastructure projects including those with links to China’s Belt and Road initiative.
The weeklong trip included Ethiopia, where the African Union headquarters is located, as well as Gabon, Angola and Benin. It was Qin’s first overseas trip since his appointment in December. For more than three decades, China’s foreign ministers have started their terms by visiting Africa, whose growing population as a continent rivals China’s.
Beijing has invested heavily in infrastructure in African countries, including roads, energy infrastructure, telecommunications, railways, and hospitals. The Chinese financial groups and funds also gave out $160 billion (USD) in loans to Africa between 2000 and 2020, according to the Chinese Loans to Africa Database.
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