On the evening of June 17, 2006, the activities celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-Egypt diplomatic ties were held in front of the Giza pyramids and Sphinx Square, southwest of Egyptian capital Cairo. Visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao of the State Council and his Egyptian counterpart Ahmed Nazif joined in some 1,000 Egyptians and Chinese for the activities.
Wen delivered a speech titled "Carrying forward Friendship, Joining Hands for Development and Creating a Better Future for China-Egypt Relations". He said that despite mountains and rivers keeping the two countries apart, their friendship goes back to ancient times. Egypt is the first African and Arab nation to establish diplomatic ties with the New China. Over the past half a century, bilateral friendship has become even firmer as time goes by. Both sides are good comrades-in-arms sharing weal and woe in the fight for national self-improvement; good brothers assisting each other in national development; good friends in close cooperation in establishing a just and reasonable new international order and safeguarding the interest of developing nations and good partners jointly creating the future on the journey of the new century. Bilateral strategic cooperation has born fruitful results and China-Egypt exchanges have never been so close as today.
Wen said that under the current situation, both sides should approach from bilateral strategic need and fundamental interest and take the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties as a new starting point to inject new vitality into bilateral friendship and jointly open up a better future for bilateral relations.
In his speech, Nazif indicated that both Egypt and China enjoy time-honored histories and splendid civilizations and both peoples should strengthen civilization dialogue and exchanges and reinforce friendship and cooperation. Egypt is willing to take the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties as an opportunity and make joint efforts with China to push for continuous development of bilateral friendly cooperative relations.
During the activities, Wen conferred awards on several Egyptian friends including former UN Secretary-General Boutros Boutros Ghali, former Secretary-General of the League of Arab States (LAS) Ahmed Abdel Meguid and former Egyptian Deputy Prime Minister Yussef Amin Wali to acknowledge their outstanding contributions to the development of Sino-Egyptian ties
The two Prime Ministers also joined in the audience of both countries for the show called "Hand in Hand" celebrating the 50th anniversary of the establishment of China-Egypt diplomatic ties. Performers from the two countries entertained the audience with Chinese and Egyptian songs and dances. The gala performance was jointly sponsored by the Chinese Embassy in Egypt, China Central Television Station, the Ministry of International Cooperation of Egypt and Egyptian state TV channel one.