Chongqing - As China and Egypt mark the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations, Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Cairo on September 1 for a state visit to Egypt. It marks his first visit to the country in a decade.

Over the past 10 years, China-Egypt relations have expanded from political exchanges to trade, technology, culture and people-to-people ties. Cooperation between the two countries has increasingly moved from strategic agreements into everyday life, industrial development and city-level connections.

For Egyptian Television Producer and News Editor, Ahmed Sawan, China has become part of his daily life. “My car is Chinese and the car before, and also, I think maybe my next car will be Chinese too,” he said.

Egyptian journalist and content creator Mazen Eslam said growing exchanges have brought the two peoples closer. “I think Chinese people love Egypt, and Egyptians also like China. The civilizational exchanges between our two countries are becoming increasingly close,” he said.

These personal experiences reflect a broader trend in China-Egypt cooperation. Ashraf AboArafe, Editor in-Chief of AldiploMasy.com Arabic English Editions, said technical and economic cooperation between the two countries has already brought tangible benefits to daily life.

He cited the rail project connecting Cairo and the new administrative capital as one example, saying Egyptian commuters are experiencing Chinese railway technology in their daily journeys.

Meanwhile, economic cooperation between China and Egypt is shifting from traditional trade and large-scale projects toward deeper industrial cooperation.

AboArafe, who has followed China-Egypt relations for years, said current cooperation places greater emphasis on industrial localization, technology transfer and job creation.

The China-Egypt Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone is one example. As of June 2026, the zone had attracted more than 200 companies and over 4.7 billion U.S. dollars in investment.

According to AboArafe, such cooperation helps Egypt strengthen its manufacturing capacity, advance industrial localization and create more technical jobs for young workers. At the same time, Egypt’s geographic advantages provide Chinese companies with greater access to markets in North Africa, the Arab world and Europe.

As cooperation expands, cities are also becoming important links between the two countries. For many young Egyptians, Chongqing represents a fascinating image of China — a city where technology, culture and urban life come together.

An Egyptian student, Ayten Ahmed said China’s long history, rich culture and modern technology shape her impression of the country. If she has the chance to visit China, she hopes to travel to Chongqing to experience its skyline, Hongyadong and the monorail passing through buildings.

Looking ahead to the next decade, AboArafe said the success of the China-Egypt strategic partnership should not only be measured by agreements and projects, but also by whether cooperation brings tangible benefits to ordinary people.