Egypt-China direct flights to increase soon, return to pre-pandemic level: Ambassador Liqiang

CAIRO – 21 January 2023: China’s Ambassador to Cairo Liao Liqiang said direct flights between the Egyptian and Chinese airports will increase soon so that they return to the pre-pandemic levels.

He added on Friday that Egypt has been among the first countries to receive Chinese tourists since the coronavirus outbreak.

The ambassador made the remarks in a press conference as Cairo International Airport received yesterday the first Chinese tourist group since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic amid a merry celebration.

During the presser, Minister of Civil Aviation Mohamed Abbas said Egypt looks forward to receiving a larger number of Chinese tourists to the various Egyptian tourist attractions and achieving a special partnership with China in the field of air transport.

Chairman & CEO of EgyptAir Yehia Zakaria said around 1,200 Chinese tourist companies and travel agents have asked to organize tourist flights to Egypt.

Starting March, flights between Egypt and China will increase to 13, including seven flights to Guangzhou, three flights to Beijing, and three flights to Hangzhou, Zakaria added.

 

Cairo International Airport received on Friday a plane carrying 137 people, including 28 Chinese tourists, for the first time since the pandemic outbreak.

All necessary measures have been taken to receive the Chinese tourists.

Egypt’s national airline EgyptAir has suspended flights between Egypt and China since February 2020 due to the pandemic.

Egypt had suspended flights with many countries since the coronavirus outbreak. However, the authorities have eased travel restrictions to the country amid a stable pandemic situation.

Egypt has cooperated with China to combat the pandemic, as the African country imported millions of Sinovac and Sinopharm vaccine doses from China and localized the production of the Sinovac vaccine.

The resumption of flights also comes few days after Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Qin Gang made a visit to Egypt, during which he met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry.

The Chinese foreign minister also affirmed desire to reinforce bilateral relations between Egypt and China after a meeting with his Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Shoukry, on Sunday.