President Sisi visits monument of unknown soldier in Tiananmen square, Beijing

CAIRO – 29 May 2024:  Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah al Sisi visited the Monument of the Unknown Soldier in Tiananmen Square in the Chinese capital, Beijing, where he laid a wreath on the memorial, as part of the state visit to China.

Earlier on Wednesday Sisi and China’s President Xi Jinping held summit talks in the Chinese capital, Beijing, as part of the President’s State Visit to the People's Republic of China.

 

The Spokesman for the Presidency, Counselor Ahmed Fahmy, said China’s President Xi Jinping received President Sisi at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, where an official reception ceremony was held.

The national anthems of the two countries were played and the two presidents inspected the Guard of Honor.

The official reception ceremony was followed by an extensive session of talks between President El-Sisi and President Xi Jinping, focusing on ways to cultivate closer bilateral relations.

 

The meeting coincided with the 10th anniversary of the elevation of Egypt-China relations to the level of Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Within this context, a joint statement was issued, outlining the areas of cooperation and coordination between the two countries in the coming period. Those include the declaration of the “Year of the Egyptian-Chinese Partnership”, which will feature a variety of diplomatic, economic and cultural activities.

During their summit talks, President El-Sisi and President Xi Jinping exchanged views on regional and international developments. President El-Sisi emphasized the urgent and imperative need to end the war in Gaza, underscoring the gravity of the Israeli military operations in the Palestinian city of Rafah and their severe humanitarian, security and political consequences.

 The President confirmed that the Israeli war has caused a heinous humanitarian catastrophe and the killing of innocent civilians, most recently the deliberate bombing of a camp of displaced people resulting in scenes of unspeakable horror. In this regard, China’s president lauded Egypt’s pivotal role and unyielding efforts to reach calm and ensure the delivery of desperately-needed humanitarian aid.

The two presidents were aligned with regard to the crucial importance of reaching an urgent and immediate ceasefire and rejecting any forced displacement of the Palestinians outside their land. They affirmed that the implementation of the two-state solution is the fundamental guarantor to restore stability and establish peace and security in the region.

During their talks, President Sisi and President Xi Jinping also discussed the situation in the African continent and ways to forge closer cooperation between the two countries, including supporting the continent’s development efforts. President El-Sisi was keen on affirming that the utmost priority is placed on safeguarding Egypt’s water security.

The two presidents witnessed the signing ceremony of a number of cooperation agreements, including the joint development plan of the “Belt and Road” Initiative and strengthening collaboration in the realms of technological innovation and IT as well as a multitude of other areas of cooperation.