As night falls over Cairo International Airport, red carpets are laid out and honour guards stand in formation. Local people wave national flags of both countries, giving a warm welcome to distinguished Chinese guests.

At the invitation of Egyptian President Sisi, President Xi Jinping arrived in Cairo by special plane for a state visit to Egypt. Upon the arrival of Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan, President Sisi and his wife gave them a warm reception. Honour guards lined both sides of the red carpet, while Egyptian teenagers waved Chinese and Egyptian national flags to extend their welcome.

Xi Jinping issued a written message, conveying sincere greetings and best wishes to the government and people of Egypt. Both China and Egypt are ancient civilizations with time‑honoured friendship. Over the 70 years since diplomatic ties were established, the two countries have stood together through shifting international circumstances. Guided by the two heads of state, the China‑Egypt comprehensive strategic partnership has achieved leap‑forward growth. Boasting solid political mutual trust, fruitful win‑win cooperation and close multilateral coordination, it serves as a fine example of friendship and solidarity among developing countries. During this visit, both sides will conduct in‑depth exchanges on bilateral ties, all‑round cooperation and major international and regional issues of shared concern, jointly draw up the blueprint for bilateral relations and write a new chapter of China‑Egypt friendship.Editor/Min Jing