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Strategic Synergy Between Egypt “Vision 2030” and China's “Belt And CHEN J. STRATEGIC SYNERGY BETWEEN EGYPT “VISION 2030” AND CHINA’S “BELT AND ROAD” INITIATIVE PP. 107–121 DOI: 10.23932/2542-0240-2018-11-5-219-235 Strategic Synergy between Egypt “Vision 2030” and China’s “Belt and Road” Initiative1 Juan CHEN PhD in Arabic Language and Literature, Post-doctoral Fellow of the Institute of International Studies, Fudan University, Shanghai, China. Address: No.220 Handan Road, Yangpu District, 200433, Shanghai, China. E-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT. China and Egypt have estab- gy between the two countries’ strategies lished diplomatic relations for 62 years. In has made significant achievements under 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping put for- the frequent promotion of top leaders, but ward the “Belt and Road” Initiative (BRI) there are also political, economic and secu- and welcomed countries along the routes rity risks in the process of strategic synergy, to take part in co-operations in the frame- which still hinder thesynergy. work of the BRI. And in 2014, Egyptian new-elected President Sisi visited China KEY WORDS: Egypt“Vision 2030”, Chi- and both sides improved the bilateral re- na’s “Belt and Road” Initiative, Strategic lationship to the comprehensive strategic Synergy, Risks, Foreign Policy, Internation- partnership. Then in 2016, Egyptian Presi- al Relations dent Sisi launched a new national develop- ment strategy named “Egypt Vision 2030”. Therefore China and Egypt want to look 1. Introduction to Egypt “Vision for suitable areas to cooperate according 2030” to these two plans. In this case, this paper analyzes the implementation of the stra- Egypt is located in North Africa, with tegic synergy between the BRI and “Egypt an area of about 1.02 million square kilo- Vision 2030”, including the introduction to meters and a population of about 95.69 mil- the “Egypt Vision 2030”, the mutual cogni- lion (statistical data from the World Bank tion of the developmental strategies of Chi- in 2016)2. In 2017, Egypt’s GDP was about na and Egypt, the outcomes achieved and USD 235.4 billion3. In recent years, Egyp- the risks faced by the synergy between the tian economy has maintained growing year strategies of these two countries, and then by year. It is estimated by the latest annu- considers that both China and Egypt wel- al report published by the International come and support each other’s develop- Monetary Fund (IMF) that the econom- mental strategy. At present, the syner- ic growth rate in Egypt will reach 5.2% in 1 This paper is funded by the Annual Youth Program of National Philosophy and Social Science Fund of China in 2016 (No.CGJ010), its title is: Studies on Strategic Docking and Risk Management of “One Belt and One Road” Initiative and Relevant Arab Countries' Development Plans. 2 Data Sources. Available at: www.data.worldbank.org.cn, accessed 12.10.2018. 3 Annual GDP Data in Egypt. Available at: http://www.kuaiyilicai.com/stats/global/yearly_per_country/g_gdp/egy.html, accessed 12.10.2018 (in Chinese). 107 OUTLINES OF GLOBAL TRANSFORMATIONS SPECIAL ISSUE • 2019 2017–2018 fiscal year, far higher than the year later because of the popular indigna- 4.2% last year, and will be estimated to rise tion aroused by its expansion of power, so further to 5.5% in 2018–2019 fiscal year4. the power was returned to the military. In addition, it has been reported by for- In June 2014, Defense Minister Sisi ran eign media that: Egypt has played a key role for the presidency and won, becoming the in the member countries of three regional new President of Egypt. After Sisi came to Free Trade Zones (the Common Market for power, he devoted himself to restoring na- Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), tional stability and revitalizing the econo- the Southern African Development Com- my, and introduced a number of econom- munity (SADC) and the Economic Com- ic reforms and development plans, such munity of East African States (ECEAS) in as the Suez Canal corridor development Africa. These three free trade zones cover project, the construction of a new capital 26 African countries, whose GDP accounts and the golden triangle development zone for about 60% of the African continent’s project in Upper Egypt and so on. After GDP and whose total population accounts more than two years of preparation, the for 56% of Africa’s population. new government officially launched the Geographically speaking, Egypt con- sustainable development strategy—“Egypt nects Asia and Africa on land and bor- Vision 2030” in February 2016, and in- ders on the Red Sea and the Mediterra- corporated the above projects into more nean at sea, while the Suez Canal is an im- than 70 projects in the vision plan. The Vi- portant waterway running north and south sion aims to place Egypt among the top and connecting east and west; politically 30 countries in the world in terms of eco- and culturally, Egypt, as a political power in nomic size (based on GDP), market com- the Arab world, has always been the lead- petitiveness, human development, quali- er of the Arab countries (Arab League) af- ty of life and anti-corruption by 20305. As ter World War II, and it has played an im- a whole, it starts from the three aspects of portant role in both the Arab national dem- economy, society and environment: Re- ocratic revolution during World War II and garding economic development, Egypt several Middle East Wars wars against Is- will have become a market economy with rael; at the same time, Egypt has a brilliant a steady macro-economy by 2030; it can ancient Egyptian civilization, so it has also achieve sustainable growth, pay attention been a cultural power. At the end of 2010, to the competition, diversity and knowl- affected by the turbulent “Arab Spring” in edge-based economy, and play an effective Western Asia and Northern Africa, the “Jas- role in the world economy; it will have the mine Revolution”, which was “anti-dictator- ability to deal with changes in the world, ship, anti-corruption and struggling for de- increase the added value, provide job op- mocracy”, broke out “from bottom to top” portunities, and make the real per capita in Egypt, the former President of Egypt gross domestic product (GDP) reach the Mubarak was forced to give up his power level of medium and high income coun- and the Muslim Brotherhood came to pow- tries6. With respect to social development, er elected by the people, but was ousted one the goal of Egypt by 2030 is to build a fair 4 Steady Economic Recovery in Egypt, Expecting China’s Investment by “Looking East” (2018). GMW.cn, May 9, 2018. Available at: http://world.gmw.cn/2018-05/09/content_28710916.htm, accessed 12.10.2018 (in Chinese). 5 Egypt Vision 2030, p. 10. Available at: http://sdsegypt2030.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/English-Booklet-2030.compressed. pdf, accessed 12.10.2018. 6 Egypt Vision 2030, p. 12. Available at: http://sdsegypt2030.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/English-Booklet-2030.compressed. pdf, accessed 12.10.2018. 108 CHEN J. STRATEGIC SYNERGY BETWEEN EGYPT “VISION 2030” AND CHINA’S “BELT AND ROAD” INITIATIVE PP. 107–121 society with equal economic, social and the change of regime, under the leadership political rights, maximize social integra- of the new President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, tion, motivate the driving force of social also launched its new journey of national development, provide protection mecha- development and revitalization. At the end nisms for coping with life risks and pro- of the same year, Egyptian President Sisi vide support and protection for marginal- visited China and Sino-Egyptian relations ized communities and vulnerable groups7. were improved becoming a comprehen- Concerning environmental development, sive strategic partnership under the pro- by 2030, Egypt will have ensured safety motion of the presidents of the two coun- and will be supporting the rational use and tries. Both sides are devoted to linking investment of natural resources in order to “Belt and Road” Initiative and Egypt “Vi- ensure the rights and interests of the next sion 2030” together effectively, and look- generation; Egypt will be committed to the ing for new development ways of coopera- diversification of economic production, tion and win-win. support competition, provide new job op- portunities, eliminate poverty and realize social justice, so that it can provide Egyp- 2. Mutual Cognition of Both tians with a clean, healthy and safe living Countries Regarding Each Other’s environment8. The Vision addresses the Development Strategies important and pressing issues facing Egypt today, such as corruption, poverty, envi- 2.1 EGYPT’S COGNITION OF CHINA’S ronmental degradation and the inadequa- “BELT AND ROAD” INITIATIVE cy of infrastructure in cities and regions9. Egypt generally welcomes and sup- In 2017, Egypt also promulgated a new In- ports China’s “Belt and Road” Initiative. In vestment Law, which is intended to further 2014, Egyptian President Sisi expressed, attract foreign capital. in an interview before visiting China, that Both China and Egypt are among the China’s “Belt and Road” Initiative was an world’s four great ancient civilizations “opportunity” for cooperation between with a long history of exchanges. After the China and Egypt, and Egypt was will- founding of the People’s Republic of Chi- ing to participate in it actively. The Egyp- na, Egypt established diplomatic relations tian government also set up a “China Af- with China in 1956, being the first Ar- fairs Section” led by Prime Minister Ibra- ab and African country to do so, so it is him Mahlab10. The former Prime Minis- of leading and model significance. In 2013, ter of Egypt, Essam Abdul-Aziz Ahmed President Xi Jinping put forward the co- Sharaf, said that: The “Belt and Road” Ini- building of the “Belt and Road” Initiative.
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