A Thriving Oasis of Win-Win Cooperation in Egypt

This is a view of the China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone in Suez Province, Egypt

Once upon a time, oases in the desert brought hope to passing Arab merchants. Today, east of Egypt’s capital Cairo, by the Red Sea’s Suez Bay, a new “oasis” of win-win cooperation is flourishing on this land in the context of aligning the Belt and Road Initiative with Egypt’s “Suez Canal Corridor Economic Belt.” This is the China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone (TEDA Cooperation Zone).

One of the joint ventures in this “oasis” is XD-EGEMAC High Voltage Electrical Equipment Co., Ltd., co-founded by China XD Group and the Egyptian side. “Since we began participating in Egypt’s national grid turnkey projects in 2016, we have significantly alleviated the country’s power shortage,” said Li Jianfei, the company’s general manager.

In recent years, Egypt’s accelerating development has placed higher demands on the stable supply of electricity, but energy distribution across regions remains uneven.

“Our role is to efficiently, safely, and with low losses, transmit electricity from southern Egypt to the northern load centers,” Li explained. For instance, the company participated in the Aswan Benban Solar Park step-up substation project, which involved building four 220-kilovolt substations and expanding an existing 500-kilovolt substation. Since the project’s completion, it has continuously supplied approximately 16,000 GWh of electricity, providing strong energy support for Egypt’s economic and social development.

In addition to directly serving electricity supply, XD-EGEMAC has also cultivated many engineering talents for Egyptian society. Currently, Egyptian employees make up over 97% of its workforce. “Over the years, we have sent batches of Egyptian employees to the China XD headquarters in Xi’an for systematic training, covering corporate culture, product expertise, technical support, and maintenance services. Many of them have now taken up key positions and even become middle and senior managers,” Li added.

In another factory, workers assemble machine casings and components under the guidance of Chinese technicians, while brand-new dishwashers are rolling off the production lines. This is the scene at Midea Egypt Kitchen and Water Heater Co., Ltd.’s dishwasher production workshop.

“We started feasibility studies in 2021, began mass production in June 2023, and by the end of 2024, dishwashers produced at our Egypt factory reached an export ratio of 80%. In 2025, our output is expected to double compared to 2024,” said Chen Weiwei, General Manager of Midea Egypt Kitchen and Water Heater Co., Ltd. “The launch of our dishwasher factory not only trained local technical workers but also fostered an entire dishwasher industry chain in Egypt.”

Heavy machinery rumbles and workers operate in an orderly manner… At the site of Xinxing Ductile Iron Pipes Co., Ltd.’s 250,000-ton ductile iron pipe project in Egypt, a scene of bustling activity unfolds before the reporter’s eyes.

“This project is Xinxing’s first overseas ductile iron pipe production base and will fill the industrial gap in Egypt’s ductile iron pipe sector. It will enhance Egypt’s local pipeline R\&D and supply capacity, is expected to generate nearly USD 200 million in foreign exchange annually, and provide over 500 local jobs,” said Ma Ye, Vice Chairman of Xinxing Pipes (Egypt) Co., Ltd.

Similar scenes are common across the TEDA Cooperation Zone. At present, the park has formed leading industrial clusters in new building materials, petroleum equipment, high and low voltage devices, machinery manufacturing, textiles, chemicals, new energy, and white goods.

With joint efforts from both China and Egypt, the TEDA Cooperation Zone is fulfilling its vision of win-win cooperation and helping this ancient civilization shine with renewed vitality.