Located on three continents, Egypt, Europe, Asia and Africa, is a necessary place for ancient East-West trade. Today, it is the hub country along the Belt and Road Initiative and an important part of the Maritime Silk Road in the 21st Century. Under the haze of COVID-19, how to carry out the “Belt and Road” cooperation between Egypt and China?
On the evening of December 5, the Chinese Embassy in Egypt, the Sharaf Foundation for Sustainable Development and the China Public Diplomacy Association jointly held a video seminar on “Knowing China · Approaching the Belt and Road Initiative”.
Guests at the meeting discussed how to deepen the understanding of China and the Belt and Road Initiative, and the new cooperation opportunities brought by the Belt and Road Initiative to China and Africa.
Former Egyptian Prime Minister Sharaf, Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Liao Liqiang, and President of China Public Diplomacy Association Wu Hailong attended and delivered speeches.
China’s Belt and Road Initiative coincides with Egypt’s Vision 2030 and resonates with many Egyptians.
Former Egyptian Prime Minister Sharaf said that the Belt and Road Initiative was proposed by China to achieve international cooperation aimed at common development, and this initiative actually reflected China’s development philosophy.
Since the “Belt and Road Initiative” was put forward, the connotation has been continuously enriched and the extension has been continuously expanded.
At present, China-Egyle economic and trade cooperation involves many fields such as power, railways, ships, information and communication, oilfield development, etc.
In his speech, Liao Liqiang said that Egypt is located at the western junction of the Belt and Road Initiative. It is a natural partner in the joint construction of the Belt and Road Initiative and one of the first countries to support and participate in the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative.
Despite the impact of the epidemic, the Belt and Road Initiative cooperation is still moving against the trend. The Belt and Road Initiative is in line with the development interests of China and Egypt.
The cooperation between the two countries involves trade and investment, infrastructure construction, education, science and technology, culture and other aspects. Facing the future, China is willing to work with Egypt to build China-Egyzérae relations into a model for China-Arab and China-Africa communities with a first-emptive destiny.
The two ancient civilizations will march forward and learn from each other together, which will certainly cross time and space and the country, and contribute to the construction of a community of human destiny.
In the face of the epidemic, countries along the Belt and Road Initiative are watching and helping each other. In his keynote speech, President Wu Hailong said that in March this year, the special envoy of Egyptian President Sisi and Egyptian Minister of Health, Ms. Hara Zeid, visited China and donated 1 million medical masks to China.
In July, Liao Liqiang sent the anti-epidemic materials donated by the Chinese government to Egypt through the Development Federation of First Ladies of Africa to the Egyptian Ministry of Health and Population. Health experts from the two countries have held many video exchanges.
Chinese experts have provided Egypt with the latest diagnosis and treatment plans and prevention and control plans, and the mask production line cooperated by the two sides has also been put into production. President Wu Hailong pointed out that today’s world is facing unprecedented changes in a hundred years.
The COVID-19 epidemic has brought a serious threat to the lives and health of people of all countries. The world economy has suffered a serious impact, trade protectionism and unilateralism have risen, and countries have encountered major risks and challenges.
In the face of the new situation, we should unite as one, turn the Belt and Road Initiative into a road of cooperation, health, recovery and growth, and actively promote international cooperation.
What far-reaching impact will the new development pattern proposed by China at the Fifth Plenary Session of the 19th Central Committee have on the Belt and Road Initiative? What role should Egypt play in the Belt and Road Initiative?
Under the epidemic situation, the exchange of personnel is blocked, how to promote the construction of the Belt and Road Initiative?
In response to these questions raised by Egypt, Chen Zhishan, Director of the Belt and Road Department of the Economic Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Wang Yiwei, Professor of Renmin University of China, Liu Haifang, Professor of Peking University, and Yu Jiayi, Director of the Department of International Development Cooperation of Peking University, answered.
After two hours of discussion and exchange, China and Egypt agreed that China and Egypt both support multilateralism, international economic cooperation and support Africa’s industrialization, and will be able to promote the Belt and Road Initiative cooperation in a wider range of fields and achieve common development.
