Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi watches as Chinese President Xi Jinping shakes hands with a young boy during a welcome ceremony in Cairo on Thursday. Photo: AFP

Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed Thursday that China and Egypt work together to build the Arab nation into a hub of the "Belt and Road" Initiative.

During talks with his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, Xi suggested that China and Egypt coordinate their development strategies and visions. Xi arrived in Egypt Wednesday afternoon for a state visit.

He suggested that the two countries focus on cooperation on infrastructure and production and turn Egypt into a hub under the "Belt and Road" Initiative, a vision Xi put forward in 2013, with the aim of promoting common development along the ancient land and maritime Silk Roads.

For his part, al-Sisi said Egypt is willing to connect its own development plans with the Belt and Road Initiative and expand infrastructure cooperation with China under the framework of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank.

Following their talks, the two presidents witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding on jointly implementing the Belt and Road Initiative.

Xi also said that China is willing to participate in Egypt's key projects like the development of the Suez Canal Corridor and the construction of a new administrative capital.

He invited al-Sisi to attend the Group of 20 summit inHangzhou, Zhejiang Province in September.

Xi said on Wednesday that the Chinese government encourages and supports qualified enterprises to participate in large-scale projects in Egypt.

"My visit to Egypt is meant to cement and deepen the China-Egypt relationship in an all-around way and advance practical cooperation between our two nations for new achievement," said the president.

"China and Egypt are true friends and good brothers," Xi said, adding that the establishment of a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2014 lifted bilateral ties to new heights.