Number of Chinese tourists doubled in 1H2017 compared to last year -Egyptian ambassador to Beijing

The number of Chinese tourists who visited Egypt nearly doubled y-o-y in 1H2017, Cairo’s ambassador to Beijing, Osama Elmagdoub, tells Global Times in an interview. While China has steadily grown to become Egypt’s fourth largest tourist supplier in 2017, the size of Chinese investments in the country is still fairly small. The potential for expansion remains high, though, Elmaghdoub notes, adding that “Egypt aspires to push bilateral cooperation in various fields, such as development and infrastructure projects that align with the Belt and Road Initiative.” China is also the largest investor in the Suez Canal Economic Zone and has major projects slated for the new administrative capital.