Cairo: As part of the Egyptian Commerce Service's efforts to strengthen trade and economic ties with various trading partners, the Asian Countries Department of the Egyptian Commerce Service (ECS) held a meeting on Monday, November 17, 2025, with a delegation headed by Deputy Director of the Trade in Services Department at the Chinese Ministry of Commerce along with a delegation from the Tianjin Commission of Commerce, which is currently visiting Egypt during the period November 13-18, 2025.According to State Information Service Egypt, the visit comes within the framework of the Chinese side's desire to explore areas of trade cooperation with the Egyptian side, especially in the field of services trade, in addition to enhancing cooperation in the management and operation of ports and logistics zones, especially in the Suez Canal Economic Zone. The discussions also included exploring Chinese investment opportunities in regional distribution centers and free zones, and facilitating the entry of Chinese compan ies specializing in services and smart storage into the Egyptian market.For his part, Minister Plenipotentiary Dr. Abdel Aziz El-Sherif, First Undersecretary of the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade and Head of the Egyptian Commercial Service (ECS), stated that the meeting discussed ways for the Egyptian side to benefit from the Chinese experience and expertise in the field of services trade and e-commerce. He emphasized the utilization of digital platforms and e-commerce means to connect markets, thereby enhancing areas of joint trade between the two countries. The discussions also focused on supporting and encouraging Egyptian small and medium enterprises to access the Chinese market, especially in the areas of trade in services, and benefiting from agreements signed between the two countries to exchange payments in local currencies through their central banks.El-Sherif added that Egypt and China have long-standing strategic and historical relations, which are currently witnessing great momentum and clear interest from the political leadership of both countries. This was reflected in the mutual visits at the highest levels, including the visit of the Egyptian Prime Minister to China for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Plus Summit and the visit of the Chinese Prime Minister to Cairo last July.He also noted the Ministry's keenness to support and expand cooperation between Egypt and China in the coming period, in line with the strong relations between the two countries. China is Egypt's top trading partner, with bilateral trade exceeding $17 billion in 2024, a 10% increase from $16 billion in 2023. Efforts are also underway to attract more Chinese investments to Egypt in priority sectors, especially those related to technology transfer. The number of companies with Chinese contributions in Egypt has reached about 2,800, with foreign direct investment from China amounting to approximately $1.2 billion in sectors such as the manufacture of fiberglass, household appliances, textiles, food industrie s, and animal feed.