Egypt Secures $168 Million in New Export Deals with China

Egypt’s Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade announced on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, that the "Export to China" initiative successfully yielded 17 export contracts valued at approximately $US 168 million. These agreements are aimed at delivering a diverse selection of Egyptian goods directly to the Chinese market.

According to an official ministry statement, the event received joint sponsorship from Egypt’s Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade alongside China’s Ministry of Commerce. The initiative was coordinated closely with the Chinese Embassy in Cairo and the Egyptian Exporters Association. The gathering united 16 Chinese importing companies with about 40 representatives spanning Egypt’s export sectors, encompassing agriculture, food, minerals, engineering industries, leather, and textiles. The newly signed contracts specifically cover shipments of flax, textile yarn, leather, copper, aluminum, sugar cane, and oranges to China.

Investment and Foreign Trade Minister Mohamed Farid Saleh stated that the ministry remains focused on opening additional markets for Egyptian merchandise, broadening the base of exporters, and optimizing opportunities within high-priority markets, with a distinct emphasis on China. Minister Saleh emphasized that securing tangible export contracts represents a fundamental goal of the ministry's promotional strategies, stressing the necessity of progressing past mere product promotion to establish direct, long-lasting partnerships between Egyptian exporters and international buyers. Furthermore, the ministry intends to maximize how Egyptian companies utilize existing cooperation frameworks and initiatives with China, while simultaneously drawing in greater Chinese investment toward productive and export-driven sectors to foster technology and expertise transfer, elevate value added, and enhance the overall competitiveness of Egyptian industry, Saleh added.

Minister Plenipotentiary for trade and Director of the Asian and Oceanian Affairs at the Egyptian Commercial Service (ECS) Sayed Fouad noted that the 17 contracts were the direct result of bilateral meetings held between Egyptian and Chinese enterprises. Fouad further urged Egypt to fully leverage a Chinese initiative designed to exempt exports originating from African countries from customs duties for a two-year duration starting May 1, 2026. He characterized this policy as an exceptional avenue to expand and diversify Egyptian exports while elevating the market competitiveness of national products within China.

Abdel Aziz el-Sherif, First Undersecretary at the Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade and head of the ECS, affirmed that the agency will sustain its efforts to grow and diversify Egyptian exports destined for China. He highlighted the importance of maximizing corporate utilization of Chinese initiatives and encouraging further investment in productive domestic sectors. Additionally, ECS offices located in Beijing and Shanghai will maintain close supervision over the execution of these export contracts, coordinating directly with Chinese counterparts to generate broader opportunities for Egyptian businesses and solidify the presence of Egyptian goods in the Chinese market, Sherif concluded.