Tariff Elimination Boosts Egyptian Exports to China Amid Reaching Record Trade Levels

Cargo containers and ships were seen at a port in Qingdao, in China's eastern Shandong province, on Tuesday. China’s CGTN news channel recently highlighted Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Egypt, stating that relations between the two countries are at their highest point ever. Official data indicates that China has remained Egypt’s largest trading partner for 14 consecutive years, with bilateral trade hitting a record high of US$ 20.79 billion in 2025.

Egypt’s imports from China primarily consist of engineering equipment, textiles, and building materials, while its exports to China focus on agricultural and food products. Specifically, frozen strawberries, beets, raw flax, natural dyes, and natural calcium phosphate made up 46.1 percent of Egypt’s exports to China. Trade ties received a further boost after China eliminated tariffs on products from 53 African countries with diplomatic ties, including Egypt, starting May 1.

According to the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics, Egyptian exports to China surged by 199.8 percent year-on-year, reaching $ 840.8 million in the first half of 2026 compared to $ 280.5 million during the same period last year. This trade policy shift is transforming how Egyptian businesses target the Chinese market. During the “Export to China” event in Cairo on August 17, Chinese and Egyptian companies finalized trade agreements valued at nearly US$ 170 million, following discussions between over 10 Chinese companies and local Egyptian firms.

Ma Guanghui, executive vice president of the Egypt-China General Business Association, noted that local companies are increasingly adapting to Chinese market demands. For instance, a linen factory in Sadat City with a US$ 58 million investment, which previously exported solely to the European Union, is now pursuing Oeko-Tex certification to enter China's luxury home textiles market, expecting an 8-10 percentage point increase in profit margins.