Cairo: Chinese President Xi Jinping marked 70 years of diplomatic relations between Egypt and China in a personally written op-ed published in Al-Ahram, using the article to announce a new state visit and call for a "new journey" of cooperation.According to State Information Service Egypt, the op-ed underscores the importance Beijing places on the relationship: Egypt is the only country on Xi's 2026 itinerary to receive a full state visit, apart from a summit stop in Kyrgyzstan. The visit comes a decade after his last trip to Cairo, at the invitation of President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi.In the article, Xi linked the anniversary to a shared history of opposition to colonialism and outlined plans to expand cooperation in industry and education, as well as support for Palestinian statehood. He cited an Egyptian proverb, "Whoever drinks from the Nile's waters returns to it again," as he recalled his first visit to Cairo 10 years ago. Xi emphasized the mutual respect between the two nations, which are nourished b y the Nile and the Yellow River, and have shared this respect "despite changes in the international landscape."Xi described the relationship as a comprehensive strategic partnership, established in 2014 and built around Egypt's Vision 2030 development strategy and China's Belt and Road Initiative. Bilateral trade between the two countries reached $20.97 billion by the end of 2025, up from $17.37 billion the previous year. China has invested $1.4 billion in Egypt in recent years, much of it channelled through the Suez Canal Economic Zone, which Xi cited as a model of industrial cooperation between the two countries.Chinese contractors have also made significant contributions, such as building Africa's tallest building, the 78-storey Iconic Tower in Egypt's New Capital, which Xi cited as a symbol of joint achievement. Additionally, a Chinese-financed electric rail line linking Cairo to the new capital is described by Xi as the first of its kind on the African continent.On the cultural front, Xi noted that dozens of Egyptian secondary schools now teach the Chinese language under a bilateral education protocol, quoting an old Chinese proverb: "Sincerity to friends brings hearts closer, however great the distance." He also highlighted the Grand Egyptian Museum's popularity among Chinese visitors since its opening and mentioned an exhibition on ancient Egyptian civilization held in Shanghai.Addressing regional politics, Xi renewed China's call for a two-state solution to the Palestinian question and urged Cairo and Beijing to coordinate on reforming global governance in favor of developing nations. Egypt recognized the People's Republic of China on 30 May 1956, becoming the first Arab and African country, and the 23rd worldwide, to do so. The two countries trace their political solidarity back to the 1955 Bandung Conference, where Chinese premier Zhou Enlai met Egyptian president Gamal Abdel-Nasser amid a shared struggle against colonialism. Egypt and China elevated their ties to a comprehensive strategic partne rship in December 2014, and El-Sisi and Xi marked the Egypt-China Partnership Year in May 2024, celebrating the 10th anniversary of their strategic partnership.