Chinese Premier Li Qiang arrived in Egypt on Wednesday for a two-day official visit aimed at deepening economic ties and “strategic co-ordination” between Beijing and Cairo.
The trip highlights Egypt’s growing role within the Brics bloc of emerging economies and its pivot towards diversifying alliances amid strained ties with the US and Israel.
Premier Li was welcomed at Cairo International Airport by Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and senior government officials. A formal ceremony, including the national anthems of both countries and a review of the Egyptian honour guard, marked the start of a visit focused on enhancing bilateral co-operation across trade, investment and infrastructure.
“China and Egypt, as important members of the Global South, should further strengthen strategic co-ordination to safeguard their common interests,” Mr Li said during a short address upon his arrival.
Egypt’s growing frustration with Israel’s policies in Gaza and its perception of US inaction have driven Cairo to recalibrate its foreign policy. Analysts say Egypt is increasingly prioritising partnerships with China and Brics nations to reduce its reliance on Washington.
The shift has been partly motivated by US President Donald Trump’s staunch support for Israel, including his repeated demands to resettle Palestinians from Gaza into Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula.
Cairo has firmly rejected that plan, viewing it as a threat to its national security and a move that would undermine the Palestinian cause.
Egypt's main telecoms building catches fire, paralysing city
Though Egyptian officials insist that Cairo’s ties with the US remain vital, recent Chinese investments and military co-operation, including the procurement of advanced HQ-9B air defence systems and joint air drills, underscore the shift in Cairo’s orientation.
Premier Li’s visit comes as China’s role grows as a key economic partner for Egypt. Discussions between Chinese and Egyptian officials during the trip are expected to culminate in agreements aimed at expanding Chinese investments in Egypt’s Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone), a hub for trade and logistics, according to a cabinet statement on Wednesday.
Under China's Belt and Road Initiative, Chinese companies have played a pivotal role in large-scale Egyptian projects, including Africa’s tallest skyscraper and the country’s first electrified light rail system.
The SCZone’s China-Egypt Teda Economic and Trade Co-operation Zone has become a focal point for these efforts, housing 185 enterprises with a total investment of $3 billion. The recent groundbreaking of a $70 million glass production facility further highlights the zone’s success.
Mr Li’s visit follows his participation in the 17th Brics Summit in Brazil. Egypt’s engagement with the bloc has been growing after joining as a formal member in January 2024.
Cairo’s role has allowed it to take part in initiatives addressing global trade and food security. Two senior Egyptian officials − Mahmoud Momtaz, chairman of the Egyptian Competition Authority, and Aly Abdelkawy from the Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade – attended a Brics-led session on the global grain trade held by the UN on Tuesday, a representative of the Brics Competition Law and Policy Centre told The National.
The session addressed systemic risks in the food supply chain, a critical issue for Egypt given its reliance on grain imports and vulnerability to price volatility, particularly amid growing uncertainty over global inflation.
Egypt’s military modernisation, partly driven by Chinese co-operation, has also become a critical element of its foreign policy. The recent acquisition of Chinese military equipment and the joint Eagles of Civilisation 2025 military drills were viewed in Cairo as proof that China could fill any political vacuum left by a weakened US role in the Arab world.
The strained relationship with Israel, exacerbated by its military presence in Gaza’s Philadelphi Corridor propped up by US support, has left Cairo with few options to safeguard its interests, which analysts say is at the heart of the shift towards Beijing.
Beyond economic and military collaboration, Egypt and China have fostered strong cultural and technological ties. Chinese companies like Huawei have trained tens of thousands of Egyptians in information technology, and educational partnerships have introduced Chinese language courses in Egyptian schools and universities.
Tourism has also flourished, with 300,000 Chinese visiting Egypt last year. To accommodate this influx, Egypt has introduced Chinese language signs at major attractions and increased the availability of Chinese-speaking tour guides.
Air China’s new direct flight between Beijing and Cairo, launched on Wednesday, is expected to further boost people-to-people exchanges.
Specs
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Torque: 1075Nm
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Your Guide to the Home
- Level 1 has a valet service if you choose not to park in the basement level. This level houses all the kitchenware, including covetable brand French Bull, along with a wide array of outdoor furnishings, lamps and lighting solutions, textiles like curtains, towels, cushions and bedding, and plenty of other home accessories.
- Level 2 features curated inspiration zones and solutions for bedrooms, living rooms and dining spaces. This is also where you’d go to customise your sofas and beds, and pick and choose from more than a dozen mattress options.
- Level 3 features The Home’s “man cave” set-up and a display of industrial and rustic furnishings. This level also has a mother’s room, a play area for children with staff to watch over the kids, furniture for nurseries and children’s rooms, and the store’s design studio.
The five pillars of Islam
ZAYED SUSTAINABILITY PRIZE
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.3-litre%204cyl%20turbo%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E299hp%20at%205%2C500rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E420Nm%20at%202%2C750rpm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E10-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFuel%20consumption%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E12.4L%2F100km%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENow%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh157%2C395%20(XLS)%3B%20Dh199%2C395%20(Limited)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO
Real Madrid 2
Vinicius Junior (71') Mariano (90 2')
Barcelona 0
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
ETFs explained
Exhchange traded funds are bought and sold like shares, but operate as index-tracking funds, passively following their chosen indices, such as the S&P 500, FTSE 100 and the FTSE All World, plus a vast range of smaller exchanges and commodities, such as gold, silver, copper sugar, coffee and oil.
ETFs have zero upfront fees and annual charges as low as 0.07 per cent a year, which means you get to keep more of your returns, as actively managed funds can charge as much as 1.5 per cent a year.
There are thousands to choose from, with the five biggest providers BlackRock’s iShares range, Vanguard, State Street Global Advisors SPDR ETFs, Deutsche Bank AWM X-trackers and Invesco PowerShares.
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier
ICC Academy, November 22-28
UAE fixtures
Nov 22, v Malaysia
Nov 23, v Hong Kong
Nov 25, v Bhutan
Nov 26, v Kuwait
Nov 28, v Nepal
ICC T20I rankings
14. Nepal
17. UAE
25. Hong Kong
34. Kuwait
35. Malaysia
44. Bhutan
UAE squad
Chaya Mughal (captain), Natasha Cherriath, Samaira Dharnidharka, Kavisha Egodage, Mahika Gaur, Priyanjali Jain, Suraksha Kotte, Vaishnave Mahesh, Judit Peter, Esha Rohit, Theertha Satish, Chamani Seneviratne, Khushi Sharma, Subha Venkataraman
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Evacuations to France hit by controversy
- Over 500 Gazans have been evacuated to France since November 2023
- Evacuations were paused after a student already in France posted anti-Semitic content and was subsequently expelled to Qatar
- The Foreign Ministry launched a review to determine how authorities failed to detect the posts before her entry
- Artists and researchers fall under a programme called Pause that began in 2017
- It has benefited more than 700 people from 44 countries, including Syria, Turkey, Iran, and Sudan
- Since the start of the Gaza war, it has also included 45 Gazan beneficiaries
- Unlike students, they are allowed to bring their families to France
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
German plea
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told the German parliament that. Russia had erected a new wall across Europe.
"It's not a Berlin Wall -- it is a Wall in central Europe between freedom and bondage and this Wall is growing bigger with every bomb" dropped on Ukraine, Zelenskyy told MPs.
Mr Zelenskyy was applauded by MPs in the Bundestag as he addressed Chancellor Olaf Scholz directly.
"Dear Mr Scholz, tear down this Wall," he said, evoking US President Ronald Reagan's 1987 appeal to Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev at Berlin's Brandenburg Gate.
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
