Rasheed Mohamed Rasheed, the Minister of Trade and Industry said the convening of FOCAC in Sharm El-Sheikh represents a historic step towards deepening relations between China and Africa on one side and between Egypt and China on the other.

He said the forum acquires a special significance in the light of the world economic conditions which required restructuring of economic relations and policies among the world countries to ease up the negative effects of the global financial crisis.

The Minister said there are opportunities for Egyptian companies to take advantage of the forum in striking export deals with Africa and China. He said the Egyptian industry should benefit from the Chinese technology, urging Egyptian businessmen to take advantage of the forum to explore both African and Chinese markets to increase exports and to overcome problems hindering Egyptian exports to the African markets.