Shoukry meets top Chinese official

Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry had talks Tuesday with visiting Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi on means of boosting bilateral ties.

The talks also tackled a host of regional and international issues, the Foreign Ministry spokesman said.

During the meeting, Shoukry underlined that 2016 will be a year of cultural cooperation between Egypt and China, Badr Abdel Aatti said.

Shoukry urged China's support for Egypt's accession as a regional state to the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, Abdel Aatti said, noting that Yang pledged that the Asian state would do its best to achieve this goal.

Shoukry reviewed the importance of coordination for combating terror, underlining the importance of reforming the United Nations and expanding the UN Security Council.

Meanwhile, Yang noted that the 2014 visit of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to China had realized a quantum leap in bilateral ties, stressing China's keenness on developing economic cooperation with Egypt and pumping more funds for energy and productive industries projects.

He underlined that China will cooperate with Egypt in the security and cultural domains as well as fighting terror.

He added that China mulls establishing a Chinese university in Egypt.