Shanghai: Egypt's Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone) has kicked off its inaugural international investment promotion tour for the fiscal year 2025/26 with a strategic visit to China, focusing on electric vehicles (EVs), textiles, and logistics, the authority announced Monday. Leading the mission, SCZone Chairman Waleid Gamal El-Dien engaged with top officials from major Chinese firms including Crystal International Group, BYD, and Hutchison Ports, as well as representatives from the Qianhai Special Economic Zone and Yantian International Container Terminals in Shenzhen.
According to State Information Service Egypt, the primary goal of the tour is to draw foreign direct investment to Egypt's strategic economic zone, which offers access to Red Sea and Mediterranean ports, preferential trade agreements, and integrated industrial infrastructure. Discussions with Crystal International Group, a leading global apparel producer, centered around a proposal to allocate 1.5 million square meters in Qantara West for a prospective $300 million textile factory, potentially creating up to 35,000 jobs. The company is considering full-scale export manufacturing operations from Egypt.
Gamal El-Dien also visited Shenzhen's Qianhai development zone and participated in a business forum to showcase Egypt's investment incentives, skilled labor force, and cost-effective energy solutions. 'We are eager to enhance our collaboration with Chinese investors, particularly in EVs, ports, and garments,' he stated.
Further meetings with Hutchison Ports, which operates the soon-to-launch $250 million terminal at Sokhna Port, focused on expanding logistics partnerships. A visit to Yantian International Container Terminal, one of China's busiest, highlighted Egypt's aspirations to bolster its role in global supply chains.
The SCZone delegation concluded the day with a visit to BYD headquarters, promoting Egypt as a regional hub for EV manufacturing, encompassing car batteries and solar panels. Discussions with senior BYD executives explored the potential for establishing a presence in SCZone to cater to African and Middle Eastern markets.
Gamal El-Dien underscored that Egypt's strategic location and favorable investment environment provide Chinese companies with a competitive advantage in scaling up regional production and achieving global climate objectives.
This China roadshow is part of SCZone's larger strategy to establish itself as a nucleus for green industry and global trade, aiming to attract partners in forward-looking sectors through focused outreach.