Cairo, December 12 (Xinhua) — Interview with Hassan Khatib, Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade of Egypt, on the hope of more Chinese companies investing in Egypt
Egyptian Minister of Investment and Foreign Trade Hassan Khatib recently stated in an interview with Xinhua News Agency in Cairo that Egypt is increasing its efforts to attract Chinese investment in key industrial and technological fields, in order to strengthen the development of local manufacturing and high value-added industries, promote Egypt’s exports to regional and global markets, and hope that more Chinese companies will invest in Egypt.
Khatib recently attended the first China Egypt Investment Forum held in Cairo. This forum attracted more than 200 Chinese and Egyptian enterprises to participate, aiming to build a platform for communication and exchange, and jointly explore new growth points for investment cooperation.
This event provides an opportunity for companies from both countries to have face-to-face exchanges and explore cooperation opportunities, “said Khatib. China has become one of Egypt’s most important development partners.
In recent years, Egypt, as a co construction country of the “the Belt and Road”, has carried out numerous economic project cooperation with China. Hattib gave an example, saying that Chinese companies have undertaken projects such as the Central Business District of Egypt’s new administrative capital and the Light Rail Transit on the 10th of Ramadan. The China Egypt Teda Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone continues to attract companies to settle in and projects to land, and most of the companies in the newly emerging West Cantala Industrial Zone also come from China.
“This proves that China plays the role of a strategic partner in Egypt’s modernization process.” Khatib said that Egypt’s “Vision 2030” is highly consistent with China’s “the Belt and Road” initiative, which has consolidated the foundation of long-term cooperation between the two countries, especially in regional integration, industrial connectivity and expansion of cross-border trade.
Khatib stated that attracting foreign investment is particularly important for Egypt’s economic development. Currently, Egypt is making efforts to improve the investment environment, including enhancing the stability and transparency of regulatory policies, promoting digitalization and simplification of business processes, and expanding private sector participation. Egypt also has a unique attraction for foreign investment: its advantageous geographical location at the intersection of the three continents of Asia, Africa, and Europe, its young and low-cost labor force, and trade agreements that facilitate the entry of Egyptian products into European, American, and non European markets.
Khatib said that China is one of the key countries for Egypt to attract foreign investment, and Egypt hopes that Chinese enterprises will play a greater role in labor-intensive industries, automobile and parts manufacturing, energy storage, engineering, new energy construction, and photovoltaic panel production. The Egyptian government will strive to provide a stable policy environment, clear and transparent regulatory mechanisms, and targeted incentives for Chinese investors to expand their investment, production, and exports.
He stated that the Egyptian Investment and Free Zone Authority has established a dedicated Chinese affairs department to provide comprehensive support for Chinese enterprises in Egypt, which reflects Egypt’s determination to simplify investment procedures and strengthen bilateral economic cooperation.
2026 marks the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Egypt. Khatib said that Egypt looks forward to opening a new stage of cooperation to benefit the people of both countries.