China and Egypt should flesh out bilateral cooperation, said Deputy Chief of Egyptian Mission in China Magdy Amer in Beijing Tuesday at an international symposium, echoing the attendees' consensus on more substantive bilateral relations.

The exchange of visits by Egyptian and Chinese presidents during the past few years has established the framework for enhanced collaboration, Amer said at the third Sino-Egyptian Symposium.

Organized by the China Foreign Affairs University, the two-day symposium that started on Nov. 22 hosted some 30 senior officials and scholars from China and Egypt, who discussed on the Sino-Egyptian relations.

"The dialogue between China and Egypt should not be limited to senior officials, but expanded to people of lower ranking, even the general public," said Li Rong, a scholar with China Institute of Contemporary International Relations, adding the exchange between youth is the "driver for continued bilateral friendship."

Chen Xiaodong, counselor with Chinese Foreign Ministry, said during the last few years China and Egypt have witnessed the growing cooperation in such sectors as economy, culture, technology, environment with a number of projects already in operation.

According to statistics, the bilateral trade volume in 2003 totaled US$1.09 billion.

"The trade volume this year would hit a record height," predicted Chen, citing that the figure in the first nine months has reached US$1.17 billion, up 51 percent.

China will render support to Egypt on the establishment of a special economic zone near the Suez Gulf beginning next month, said Chen.

The Chinese Culture Week and Egyptian Culture Week offered Egyptian and Chinese people the chance to deepen understandings, said assistant Foreign Minister of Egypt Ezzat Saad, calling for more cultural initiatives to substantiate bilateral ties.

Noting that more than ten Chinese news organizations have offices in Egypt, Amer said Egyptian news agencies are also planning branches in China.

Other than bilateral cooperation, Egypt and China also have roles to play in boosting regional and international relations, Saad said .

Egypt and China could be the driving forces in linking China-ASEAN Free Trade Area and the free trade zone of Arabian countries, Saad said.

Open to Arabian countries, the free trade zone of Arabian countries now groups Jordan, Turnisa, Morocco and Egypt.

China's Assistant Foreign Minister Lu Guozeng spoke highly of the role Egypt played in establishing Sino-Arabian Cooperation Forum.

The Sino-Egyptian cooperation would help advance the relations between China and Arabian countries, Lu said.

Lu also said China and Egypt could join hands in helping address the Middle East issue as both countries are committed to achieving the fair and lasting peace there.

Agreeing with Lu's remark, Saad said, "China always takes a balanced stand on Middle East affairs, it thus maintains good relationship with both Palestinian and Israeli government.

"We've noticed China has become very much involved in the Middle East process and expect it to play a more active role," Saad said.

(Xinhua News Agency November 24, 2004)