Egypt’s Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade said on Wednesday, August 19, 2026 that “Export to China” event resulted in the signing of 17 export contracts worth estimated dlrs 168 million, targeting shipments of a range of Egyptian products to the Chinese market.
The ministry said in a statement that the event was jointly sponsored by Egypt’s Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade and China’s Ministry of Commerce, in coordination with the Chinese Embassy in Cairo and the Egyptian Exporters Association. The event brought together 16 Chinese importing companies and about 40 representatives of Egypt’s export sector, covering agricultural products, food, minerals, engineering industries, leather and textiles.
The contracts cover exports of flax, textile yarn, leather, copper, aluminum, sugar cane and oranges to China. Investment and Foreign Trade Minister Mohamed Farid Saleh said the ministry was working to open more markets for Egyptian products, expand the exporter base and maximize opportunities in priority markets, especially China.
Securing actual export contracts is a key objective of the ministry’s promotional efforts, the minister said, stressing the importance of moving beyond promoting Egyptian products toward building direct and sustainable relationships between Egyptian exporters and international buyers.
The ministry also aims to maximize Egyptian companies’ use of initiatives and cooperation frameworks with China, while attracting more Chinese investment into productive and export-oriented sectors to facilitate technology and expertise transfers, increase value added and strengthen the competitiveness of Egyptian industry, Salah added.
Minister Plenipotentiary for trade and Director of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs at the Egyptian Commercial Service (ECS) Sayed Fouad said bilateral meetings between Egyptian and Chinese companies resulted in the 17 contracts. He further said Egypt should capitalize on a Chinese initiative to exempt exports from African countries from customs duties for two years starting May 1, 2026, describing it as an opportunity to increase and diversify Egyptian exports and boost the competitiveness of national products in the Chinese market.
Abdel Aziz el-Sherif, First Undersecretary at the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade and head of the ECS, said the agency would continue efforts to increase and diversify Egyptian exports to China and maximize companies’ use of Chinese initiatives, while encouraging further Chinese investment in Egypt’s productive sectors.
ECS offices in Beijing and Shanghai will continue to monitor implementation of the export contracts and coordinate with the Chinese side to create more opportunities for Egyptian businesses, helping expand the presence of Egyptian products in the Chinese market, Sherif said.
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