Meanwhile, Xi also met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing to discuss strengthening communication and political consultation between the two countries on regional and international issues.

The Chinese leader said his country attaches special importance to its relations with Egypt in view of its pivotal role in the Middle East, Africa and Eastern Mediterranean, El-Sisi’s spokesman Bassam Rady said.

“In the context of the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, the (Egyptian) president affirmed Egypt’s keenness to build on the momentum reached in bilateral meetings” and develop bilateral cooperation in many fields, especially development, economic and trade, and to attract more Chinese investments to take advantage of the promising opportunities available in Egypt in various sectors.

Rady said both sides discussed enhancing cooperation in scientific research activities, technology transfer in the pharmaceutical industries, manufacturing COVID-19 vaccines, industrial technologies, communications and information technology, electric vehicles and health care.