Ashraf AboArafe
Cairo, July 2025 — In a significant address to Egyptian academics, media professionals, and diplomats, the Chinese representative presented a detailed vision of the deepening ties between China and Egypt, framed within the broader context of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO). The speech highlighted not only the recent official visit of Chinese Premier Li Qiang to Egypt but also China’s broader strategic outlook for the region, and Egypt’s emerging role in multilateral platforms like the SCO.
A Milestone Visit: Egypt–China Relations in a New Era
Premier Li Qiang’s official visit to Cairo (9–10 July 2025) marked a watershed moment in the bilateral relationship. Meeting with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, and Speaker of Parliament Hanafy El-Gebaly, Premier Li oversaw the signing of major agreements in digital commerce, green development, finance, health, and development aid. The visit also included discussions with Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit, reflecting China’s growing engagement with the Arab world.
Premier Li affirmed China’s readiness to use the upcoming 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations in 2026 to elevate the comprehensive strategic partnership with Egypt. He emphasized China’s support for Egypt’s regional and international leadership roles and its willingness to deepen cooperation in multilateral arenas to defend the interests of developing nations, uphold economic globalization, and foster regional peace.
Egyptian and Arab leaders, including President Sisi and Secretary-General Aboul Gheit, praised the visit as “highly successful” and “strategically significant.” Chinese officials also expressed gratitude to Ambassador Ezzat Saad for his active public diplomacy in support of China–Egypt relations.
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization: A Growing Platform for Multipolar Engagement
Egypt’s accession as a Dialogue Partner of the SCO at the Samarkand Summit in 2022 signaled a growing convergence of interest between Cairo and the Eurasian multilateral bloc. The organization, founded in 2001 by China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, has expanded to 10 full members, with Egypt among 14 Dialogue Partners and 2 observer states.
Spanning over 36 million square kilometers across Asia, Europe, and now Africa, the SCO is the world’s largest regional organization by geographic and demographic scope. It encompasses over 3.3 billion people—around 42% of the global population—and accounts for a quarter of global GDP, exceeding $25 trillion.
Three Core Dimensions of the SCO Vision
1. Development Through Openness and Inclusion
At its heart lies the “Shanghai Spirit”—a multilateral ethos based on mutual trust, equality, non-interference, dialogue among civilizations, and respect for national development paths. The SCO rejects exclusive blocs, ideological confrontation, and geopolitical dominance, offering a distinct alternative to zero-sum politics.
Through this approach, the SCO has built a cooperative framework uniting countries of diverse systems and cultures around shared development goals, providing a model for inclusive regionalism.
2. Security Cooperation and Regional Stability
Security remains central to the SCO’s mandate. Since its inception, the organization has forged robust mechanisms to combat terrorism, extremism, and separatism. Joint counter-terrorism exercises, intelligence sharing, and long-term border security protocols have contributed to a notable reduction in terrorist incidents across member states.
These practices, officials noted, offer valuable models for Egypt to strengthen its counterterrorism capacities and improve regional security coordination.
3. Economic Integration and Human Connectivity
The SCO’s economic footprint has expanded dramatically, with intra-bloc trade exceeding $8 trillion in 2024—100 times more than its founding year. Trade between China and SCO-related countries reached $890 billion, highlighting the region’s growing economic dynamism.
Egypt, as a Dialogue Partner, stands to benefit immensely from this economic ecosystem. From infrastructure and green energy to digital economy and agriculture, the SCO offers platforms aligned with Egypt’s Vision 2030, enabling foreign direct investment, sustainable development, and technological exchange.
Furthermore, people-to-people initiatives—ranging from youth forums and media exchanges to cultural festivals—have enhanced soft power ties among SCO members. Egypt’s participation in events like the Digital Economy Forum and Media Cooperation Conference signifies its commitment to deeper engagement.
China’s 2024–2025 SCO Chairmanship: Three Priorities
As the current rotating chair of the SCO, China is advancing the theme: “A Year of Sustainable Development”. Its agenda revolves around:
- Solidarity: The upcoming SCO Summit in Tianjin (31 August–1 September) is expected to be the largest in the organization’s history, hosting over 20 heads of state and multiple international agencies. It aims to inject momentum into the SCO’s institutional renewal.
- Cooperation: China has launched initiatives under five strategic pillars: political trust, collective security, shared prosperity, cultural connectivity, and institutional efficiency. Egypt’s role, as a Dialogue Partner, is poised to expand under these frameworks.
- Action: Over 110 events have been planned, with 90 already executed, including defense ministerial meetings, counterterrorism drills, and skill competitions. China’s vision is to transform “Shanghai Spirit” into tangible outcomes—security, development, governance, and human connectivity.
Egypt’s Strategic Role: A Bridge to Africa and the Arab World
Egypt’s accession to the SCO extended the bloc’s geographic scope to North Africa for the first time, significantly enhancing its reach into the Arab and African spheres. Cairo’s inclusion boosts the SCO’s relevance in Middle Eastern diplomacy, energy security, and cultural dialogue. Conversely, the SCO offers Egypt a high-level platform for expanding its diplomatic footprint, enhancing its economic diversification, and projecting soft power globally.
A Shared Developmental Future
China and Egypt can leverage the SCO framework to better align with Egypt’s national development priorities—particularly in renewable energy, digital transformation, and green industries. Chinese investment networks through the SCO have already surpassed $140 billion, presenting enormous opportunities for Egypt.
The two countries can also collaborate on currency settlement mechanisms, investment facilitation, and access to regional cooperation zones, enhancing Egypt’s investment environment.
Jointly Shaping Global Governance
The SCO Dialogue Partnership commits members to the organization’s foundational values—equity, mutual respect, and win-win cooperation. In a turbulent global order, China and Egypt can work jointly to advance a fairer global governance system, grounded in multipolarity, non-alignment, and respect for sovereignty.
Beijing and Cairo also share concerns over Middle East stability. SCO frameworks offer platforms for enhanced coordination on regional crises, from Gaza to Syria, while leveraging SCO security models to bolster Egypt’s counterterrorism resilience.
Toward a Stronger Global South
China and Egypt, as key players in the Global South, can utilize the SCO as a vehicle for rebalancing global power dynamics. With nearly half of the Arab states now affiliated as SCO Dialogue Partners, the organization provides a potent mechanism for amplifying Southern voices, defending national sovereignty, and accelerating development.
Final Reflection
As the Chinese envoy concluded, invoking an Egyptian proverb—“The basket with two handles needs two to carry it”—the message was clear: in today’s fractured world, institutions like the SCO offer a much-needed model of inclusive cooperation. With Egypt’s growing role and China’s sustained leadership, the “Shanghai Spirit” could yet become a vital pillar of a more just and balanced world order.
