CAIRO, July 24 (Xinhua) -- China's rapid rise in science and technology is offering developing economies new opportunities to advance digital transformation, strengthen research capacity, and accelerate sustainable development, an Egyptian expert has said.
"China has indeed become an important pole of global innovation today. Much of today's serious scientific research comes from China, especially in smart technology and artificial intelligence (AI) applications," Abdel-Wahab Ghoneim, vice chairman of the Arab Federation for Digital Economy, told Xinhua in a recent interview.
Ghoneim, also a digital transformation consultant to the Egyptian government, attributed China's technological progress to three factors: "linking scientific research to industry, expanding advanced technologies such as AI, computing and chips, and having a state system that supports research, manufacturing and investment."
These moves, together with technological education, legislation update, and administrative streamlining, offer practical lessons for developing countries, including Egypt, the expert said.
Earlier this month, China announced the winners of its 2025 State Science and Technology Awards in Beijing, honoring 258 projects and 11 sci-tech experts.
Among the award winners was Chen Liquan, a leading Chinese expert in lithium battery technology, which Ghoneim described as crucial to the future of electric vehicles (EVs) and renewable energy.
"Honoring an expert in lithium batteries carries a very important message," he said, noting batteries are now the backbone of sustainable development, central to solving storage challenges in solar, wind, and EVs.
China's EV sector has evolved from catching up to achieving global leadership, offering Egypt a model for cooperation in semiconductors, solar panels, wind turbines, and other advanced industries, particularly given Egypt's abundant reserves of high-purity silica sand and mineral-rich black sand, both of which are critical raw materials for advanced manufacturing.
"It is necessary to attract Chinese companies that manufacture electronic chips and other advanced industries to establish factories in Egypt, while offering them the best incentives," he added.
He also pointed to existing cooperation between Egypt and China, including the Government Data and Cloud Computing Center, Huawei's collaboration on 5G technology in Egypt's New Administrative Capital, and the China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone.
"These are major projects that reflect Egyptian confidence in Chinese technology," he said.
At the 2026 World Artificial Intelligence Conference, held earlier in July in Shanghai, China announced the launch of the World Artificial Intelligence Cooperation Organization and pledged 5,000 opportunities in AI training and seminar programs for developing countries in the next five years.
Ghoneim said such efforts reflect the growing importance of China as a partner for developing countries seeking to build their own technological future.
"China cooperates with developing countries on the path of development according to the win-win principle," he noted.■
