Cairo (TDI): China and Egypt have inked a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to expand collaboration in maritime archaeology and the safeguarding of underwater cultural heritage.
The agreement was signed on Thursday at the Bibliotheca Alexandrina between China’s National Center for Archaeology, under the National Cultural Heritage Administration, and Egypt’s Supreme Council of Antiquities (SCA).
As part of the deal, the two sides will establish a joint maritime archaeology and underwater heritage center in Alexandria.
Chinese Consul General in Alexandria Yang Yi said the initiative would not only enhance archaeological cooperation but also reinforce the broader strategic partnership between the two countries, fostering “a shared future” for their peoples.
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SCA Secretary-General Mohamed Ismail Khaled welcomed the partnership, saying Egypt stands to gain from China’s advanced technology and experience in maritime surveys, excavations, and cultural preservation.
The MoU includes joint research, knowledge-sharing, scientific exchanges, and specialized training programs for archaeologists and restorers.
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Archaeological cooperation between the two nations has expanded in recent years. In 2018, China’s first archaeological mission in Egypt began excavations at the Montu Temple ruins in Luxor.
The two countries are also collaborating to nominate China’s Baiheliang and Egypt’s Nilometers for UNESCO World Heritage status, while working on digital documentation of thousands of ancient coffins unearthed in Saqqara.
Farkhund Yousafzai is an Associate Editor at The Diplomatic Insight.
