On September 11, 2018, the Eighth Meeting of China-Egypt Joint Committee on Intergovernmental Cooperation in Science and Technology was successfully held in Cairo. The meeting was co-chaired by Vice Minister Xu Nanping of the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (MOST) and Deputy Minister Yasser Refaat of the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research of Egypt. 

Vice Minister Xu Nanping remarked that President Xi Jinping pointed out in his report to the 19th CPC National Congress that innovation is the first driving force for development and the strategic support for building a modern economic system. Vice Minister Xu Nanping noted that China and Egypt have a long history of friendship and the two countries have always supported each other on the path of common development. Since the signing of the Intergovernmental Agreement on Science and Technology Cooperation in 1983, the two countries have steadily promoted collaboration. In recent years, under the frameworks of China-Africa Science and Technology Partnership Program 2.0 and the Belt and Road Science, Technology and Innovation Co-operation Action Plan, the two sides have continuously expanded areas and innovated modalities of cooperation, scoring new achievements. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al Sisi was invited to attend the Beijing Summit of the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation in September. During their meeting, the two heads of state highlighted developing China-Egypt comprehensive strategic partnership and pledged to work together to promote China-Egypt and China-Africa cooperation. China and Egypt are both developing countries faced with common tasks. Vice Minister Xu Nanping said that China is ready to work together with Egypt to seize opportunities and push forward bilateral ties in science, technology and innovation (STI) so that the peoples of the two countries could share the achievements of the Belt and Road Initiative. Xu also added that the sci-tech relation could contribute to building a community of shared future for China and Africa.

Deputy Minister Yasser Refaat said that China-Egypt cooperation in science and technology has developed rapidly in recent years and that China has become one of Egypt’s most important STI partners. He remarked that Egypt is willing to deepen and expand its cooperation with China in STI for common progress and success.

The meeting reviewed the progress of China-Egypt cooperation in STI since the 7th Joint Committee Meeting, and affirmed the achievements in joint research projects, researcher mobility, joint laboratories, science parks and incubators, and space technology. The meeting also reached agreement on furthering pragmatic cooperation in various fields.

At the end of the meeting, the two sides agreed to hold the 9th Joint Committee Meeting in China in 2020. 

The meeting was attended by Chinese Ambassador to Egypt Song Aiguo, and representatives of the Department of International Cooperation and Department of Science and Technology for Social Development of MOST, the 48th Research Institute of China Electronics Technology Group Corporation, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Embassy in Egypt, as well as Deputy Minister of High Education and Scientific Research of Egypt Amr Adly, Advisor to the Egyptian Minister of High Education and Scientific Research Mohamed Shinawi, heads and representatives of the Egyptian National Research Center and the Egyptian Science and Technology Development Fund.

During his visit, Vice Minister Xu Nanping also visited Egyptian City for Scientific Research and Applied Technologies, Egyptian National Research Center, Egyptian Agricultural Research Center and other research institutions. The visit has effectively promoted pragmatic China-Egypt cooperation in science and technology.