Ahmed Moustafa, director of the Asia Center for Studies and Translation, speaks during an interview with Xinhua in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Dec. 9, 2024. (Xinhua/Wang Dongzhen)
RIYADH, Dec. 10 (Xinhua) -- China has a "distinguished" vision for desertification control and ecosystem protection, an Egyptian expert has said, calling for further bilateral cooperation on environmental issues and beyond.
"China is one of the countries with the most diversified landforms, ranging from deserts to grasslands. This makes China's policy on desertification control visionary and holistic," Ahmed Moustafa, director of the Asia Center for Studies and Translation, told Xinhua in an interview on Monday on the sidelines of the 16th session of the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification, which is ongoing in Riyadh, capital of Saudi Arabia.
According to his observations, all of China's development plans are "ecosystem-centered, aiming to keep the environment as intact as possible." Meanwhile, land restoration efforts are combined with initiatives to benefit the Chinese people, he added.
Citing Chinese enterprises operating in the Egyptian market as an example, Moustafa said, "We can see they have demonstrated a strong sense of social and environmental responsibility, including companies like OPPO and Huawei, as well as start-ups led by younger generations."
Noting that over 95 percent of Egypt's land is covered by desert, the expert emphasized, "We can learn a lot from China" in combating desertification.
"As a member of BRICS, a participant in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and a dialogue partner of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, we are eager to gain experience, technical assistance, and financial support through these multilateral frameworks from China to reduce desertification and restore land resilience in the future," he said.
Discussing Egypt-China cooperation, Moustafa praised China's shared development vision. "Unlike Western powers that interfere in the domestic affairs of other countries, China has been a much-respected and trusted partner, supporting other nations through win-win cooperation," he said.
"Both countries have a long history and rich civilizations. Respect for other nations is deeply rooted in Chinese culture. This is precisely why Egypt and China have formed a closer bond in this regard," he noted.
The expert highlighted the significance of the BRI, which has enabled Africa, particularly Egypt, to benefit from co-constructed logistic infrastructure and increased trade volumes with China.
He also pointed to dialogue platforms between China and African nations, such as the Forum on China-Africa Cooperation, as essential conduits for aligning mutual interests, overcoming trade challenges, and tapping into untapped opportunities.
"These initiatives have injected more confidence and hope into the future cooperation between the two countries," Moustafa concluded. ■
