Ezzat Saad, director of the Cairo-based Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, receives an interview during an event titled "World Dialogue on China Studies: Arab States Session" in Cairo, Egypt, Sept. 29, 2026. (Xinhua/Xin Mengchen)
CAIRO, Oct. 5 (Xinhua) -- China is a key partner and a driving force in the Global South's pursuit of development and modernization, an Egyptian expert has said.
"China has the leading position and is indeed the engine of the renaissance of Global South countries," Ezzat Saad, director of the Cairo-based Egyptian Council for Foreign Affairs, said in a recent interview with Xinhua.
Having attended two China-focused forums in Cairo this September, Saad said China's development model and cooperation frameworks offer Global South nations a real pathway to build their own capabilities.
He cited the Beijing-based Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Belt and Road Initiative as examples of China-led platforms supporting infrastructure development across their participating countries.
In Egypt, Saad highlighted Chinese investment in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, saying such investment would have "a major impact on the future of the Egyptian economy in general and on building an important industrial base in Egypt with China's support."
Saad also highlighted China's role in BRICS, noting that Beijing has strongly supported the greater participation by developing countries, including Egypt, which became a BRICS member in early 2024.
China brings deep expertise in digital infrastructure, e-commerce, smart cities, advanced manufacturing, and artificial intelligence, Saad said, adding that "China is moving from the stage of being the 'world's factory' to the stage of innovation and technological leadership."
"There are many Chinese initiatives in technological modernization, artificial intelligence, training and scientific research, and China has allocated substantial resources to help Global South countries with their modernization," Saad told Xinhua.
Saad argued that Global South nations need stronger digital infrastructure, reliable data, skilled talent, and research capacity, all areas where China can make a major contribution.
"The real value of this partnership lies in the possibility of combining China's extensive experience with the needs of Global South countries and their national priorities," Saad explained.
On China-Arab ties, Saad said relations have expanded well beyond traditional trade to now cover broader development and global issues.
"China-Arab relations, with the China-Egypt comprehensive strategic partnership at their core, are no longer limited to traditional trade exchanges, but have expanded to greater alignment in development visions and positions on international peace and security and global governance," Saad said.
Saad said closer people-to-people exchanges, including tourism, conferences, joint studies, and think-tank contacts, can help Chinese and Arab societies better understand each other.
Looking ahead, Saad expressed confidence in the future of China-Arab ties.
"We trust each other, we respect each other, and on the basis of these principles, I am sure our relations will be further enhanced and promoted," he told Xinhua.
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