As well as meeting separately with Egyptian President Abdel
Fattah el-Sissi and Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit. In a joint
news conference, Shoukry said the talks addressed Sino-Egyptian relations and
increasing Chinese tourism to the Middle Eastern country, which has for years
struggled to revive its vital tourism sector.
Both ministers said they also discussed regional issues
including the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Tensions have risen after the return to office last month of
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is heading Israel’s most
right-wing and religiously conservative government.
He also called for “maintaining the status quo” at
Jerusalem’s most important holy site, after an ultranationalist Israeli Cabinet
minister visited it earlier this year. That visit drew fierce condemnation from
across the Muslim world and a strong rebuke from the United States.
In his meeting with el-Sissi, the Chinese foreign minister
said Beijing would continue to develop its investment in Egypt’s infrastructure
projects including those with links to China’s Belt and Road initiative.
China has invested billions of dollars in Egyptian state-led
projects such as the Suez Canal Economic Zone and the new administrative
capital, which is being built east of Cairo. Qin arrived in Cairo Saturday
afternoon.
His weeklong trip included Ethiopia, where the African Union
headquarters is located, as well as Gabon, Angola and Benin. It was Qin's first
overseas trip since his appointment in December.
For more than three decades, China’s foreign ministers have
started their terms by visiting Africa, whose growing population as a continent
rivals China’s.
Beijing has invested heavily in infrastructure in African
countries, including roads, energy infrastructure, telecommunications,
railways, and hospitals. The Chinese financial groups and funds also gave out
$160 billion (USD) in loans to Africa between 2000 and 2020, according to the
Chinese Loans to Africa Database.
Amide the coronavirus pandemic, China raced to provide
vaccines to Africa, which received only 1% of global COVID-19 vaccine supplies.
China also funded the construction of a new headquarters for
the African Center for Disease Control in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa.