Prof. Dr. Abdul Fattah Saud, Vice President of Ain Shams University for Education and Students Affairs on behalf of Prof. Dr. Abdul Wahab Ezzat, President of the University, Ms. Liu Yong fong, Vice-Ambassador of China to Egypt, and Mr. Fang Chenghui, Vice-President of the China International Publishing Group opened the "Association of China-Africa Common Destiny" seminar. It will be held on the two sessions of the House of Representatives, the Chinese Consultative Conference and the Egyptian Presidency of the African Union in 2019.

During his speech, Prof. Dr. Abdul-Fattah Saud, reviewed the cooperation between Ain Shams University and a number of official Chinese institutions, including the Chinese People's University, Fudan, Al-Khanban Foundation and others. He stressed that Ain Shams University was the pioneer in reviving the belt and road initiative through several agreements signed and the establishment of the Silk Road Research and Studies Center, which is the first in the Middle East and Africa and the second in the world after Russia.

He pointed out that Ain Shams University is not only represented in this project, but also by all academic research institutions in Egypt and Africa. He explained that Ain Shams University seeks to mobilize the available resources and communicate with the largest number of Egyptian, Arab and African universities to participate in this project.

He also praised the establishment of this cultural activity, which is the launch of the cooperation between Egypt and China in the media, cultural and popular.

Prof. Dr. Hussein Eissa pointed to the depth of the mutual relations between the two countries and China's vision of Egypt as an ally and a close strategic partner in the mutual relations between the two countries, which is not only a relationship between two countries, it is a relationship between two civilizations. He pointed to the political leadership's support for the success of this strategic partnership. Especially in light of each party's respect for the sovereignty of the other without any attempts to impose control.

He explained that a clear strategic plan has been drawn up for the work system of the Silk Road Research and Studies Center at Ain Shams University, based on collecting and documenting the most important researches written by silk, in order to prepare a complete information base and cooperate with all official bodies interested in Chinese affairs. The center is concerned with two types of studies, which are prepared in advance, as the Silk Road includes 63 European countries, African and Asian, pointing out that these studies will be submitted to the decision makers in both the Egyptian and Chinese countries.

The other type of studies is the feasibility studies that will accompany Chinese projects in Egypt, as well as external entities that will cooperate with China both inside and outside Egypt.

Prof. Dr. Esraa Abdul-Sayed added that Egypt is unique to its existence on the Silk Road, both land and sea, making it the only gateway to some African countries. She pointed out that this forum is the first of the activities of the Silk Road Research and Studies Center at Ain Shams University. It aims at introducing the Egyptian, Arab and African youth to the importance and objectives of establishing this center, which will not only include studies, research and academic consultancy.

Ms. Liu Yong Fong explained that 2019 keeps pace with the 70th anniversary of China's new furniture and reviewed the goals of the Chinese government to push forward the global opening up, facilitate trade, introduce more investment into Africa and help implement the 2063 African Union Plan, in the belief that China-Africa cooperation stems from a common destiny that affects all humanity.

Mr. Fang Cheng Hui pointed to Egypt's participation in the second international cooperation summit of the Association of Belt and Road next month, noting that Egypt is one of the first Arab and African countries that have extensive relations with China.

Mr. Mohsen Salama also reviewed the cooperation between Egypt and China, especially in the economic and trade fields, the volume of trade exchange between the two countries reached 10 billion dollars, and the number of Chinese tourists to Africa increased.

The opening session was followed by a major session that included a number of lectures on the past, reality and hope, challenges facing China-Africa relations and opportunities for cooperation.