China Egypt. Illustration: Xia Qing/GT

China-Egypt cooperation is witnessing a comprehensive and growing strategic partnership, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries and the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to Egypt. 

The relationship between China and Egypt represents an advanced strategic model of cooperation among the Global South in the new era. It is based on shared visions and reforming the structure of international economic and political governance. This relationship forms a fundamental pillar for building a community with a shared future for humanity, and it bolsters China's diplomacy as a major power with Chinese characteristics in the new era. The phrase "major power with Chinese characteristics in the new era" refers to China's contemporary political and developmental approach, aimed at modernization and building a community with a shared future for mankind. Egypt supports this approach through a comprehensive strategic partnership and mutual political and economic coordination. 

The two countries cooperate within the BRICS group and international organizations to defend multilateralism and the interests of the Global South, as well as to coordinate internationally on various issues. Furthermore, both countries have adopted the cause of global financial reform, agreeing on finding solutions to the debt crisis and reforming international financial institutions and the UN. Considering the importance of developmental integration between the Chinese and Egyptian visions, represented respectively by the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and Egypt's Vision 2030, their alignment offers a broader template for South-South cooperation.

We observe the extensive and ongoing coordination between China and Egypt in defending the interests of the Global South within groups such as BRICS, Egypt's dialogue partner status in the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation, and Egypt's diplomacy in China-Africa-Arab cooperation through its membership in both the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation and the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum. This coordination is particularly evident in their efforts to drive development in Africa and position Egypt as a hub for the transfer and localization of Chinese technology. Furthermore, it is crucial to building a unified Chinese-Egyptian front to protect the interests of the Middle East region and secure global trade routes in international straits and waterways.

China leads numerous international initiatives for the benefit of the Global South, namely the Global Development, Global Security, Global Civilization and Global Governance Initiatives. Egypt supports these Chinese initiatives in defence of the interests of the Global South. 

It is worth noting that the strategic coordination between Egypt and China is a practical model for countering international double standards. It aims to build a more balanced and just global order by strengthening South-South cooperation. This strategy is achieved through several key pillars, most importantly the Chinese-Egyptian consensus on breaking the hegemony of a single power, balanced diplomacy and diversifying partners. This is based on Egypt and China's rejection of the policy of "closed alliances," and they are working together to build flexible, multilateral partnerships to protect national interests and support international justice by coordinating positions in international forums, such as the UN, to defend the interests of the Global South and reject interference in internal affairs under the pretext of human rights. This led China to support Egypt's joining new economic blocs, such as the BRICS group. Egypt also supports the New Development Bank, which aims to provide accessible development financing alternatives, free from politicized conditions.

President Xi's visit to Egypt is more than a milestone in bilateral relations - it is a strategic anchor for South-South cooperation in a rapidly shifting global order. Developing nations, by aligning their development strategies and standing together politically, can shape the rules of the global system rather than simply adapt to them. The China-Egypt partnership is not just a success story for two countries - it is a template for what South-South cooperation can achieve in an era of fragmentation and uncertainty.

The author is professor of political science, Beni Suef University. opinion@globaltimes.com.cn