ISTANBUL

Chinese Premier Li Qiang will pay an official two-day trip to Egypt next week, Foreign Ministry spokesman Mao Ning said on Wednesday.

Li will visit Egypt on July 9-10 at the invitation of Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Kamal Madbouly, Mao told a live-streamed news conference in Beijing.

Mao said China and Egypt are comprehensive strategic partners and the nations enjoy "robustic bilateral ties" with an aim to elevate ties to “community with shared future.”

Egypt was the first Arab nation to establish diplomatic ties with Beijing, the spokeswoman added.

China is one of the top commercial partners of Egypt with bilateral trade hovering around $14 billion annually.

The two sides have also expanded defense cooperation with Chinese and Egyptian air forces holding their first joint drill this April.

Named “Eagles of Civilization 2025," the joint air force drill was held at an air base in Egypt, with Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force deploying J-10C fighter jet, YU-20 aerial tanker aircraft and KJ-500 early warning aircraft alongside MiG-29 fighter jets of Egypt.