Two gifts, bestowed by Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly to President Xi Jinping, are symbols of the two historical civilizations and witnesses to the longstanding friendship between the two nations.
The pair of exquisite items are on display in the Exhibition of Diplomatic Gifts Received by China's Leaders in Beijing, where gifts presented by the leaders and officials of various countries to their Chinese counterparts are being showcased. Each item represents the cultural background of the place it comes from.
One of the Egyptian gifts is a life-sized sculpture modeled after the two life-sized wooden statues discovered in the tomb of the famous pharaoh -- the Ka Statue of King Tutankhamun.
"The sculpture is adorned with a crown featuring the Khat headdress and a cobra, and is dressed in a gilded shendyt kilt. In his left hand, he holds a scepter symbolizing youth and vitality, while the right hand grasps a staff representing royal authority. The statue was a gift to Chinese President Xi Jinping, presented by Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly, when he came to China to attend the 1st China International Import Expo in November 2018," said Hu Zexia, Curator of the exhibition.
Five years later, when Egyptian Prime Minister Madbouly attended the Third Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation in Beijing, he presented another iconic gift to Xi -- a model of the ceremonial chair of Tutankhamun.
"This chair, made of ebony, features intricate craftsmanship and rich detail. It has a curved, armless seat, with foldable legs designed for easy transport, and the feet are shaped like duck heads. The chair's backrest is adorned with an array of gemstones and gold leaves, with the upper part featuring the image of Horus, the falcon god and protector of the pharaoh. This gift is a miniature model of the chair, yet it still showcases the exceptional skill of ancient Egyptian artisans," said Hu.
China and Egypt, both ancient civilizations, began economic and cultural exchanges over one thousand years ago.
Gifts from Egypt to China symbolize friendship between two ancient civilizations
The National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the country's top political advisory body, held a press conference at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Monday afternoon, one day before its annual session.
The third session of the 14th CPPCC National Committee is scheduled to run from March 4 to 10, Liu Jieyi, the session's spokesman, announced at the press conference.
According to Liu, more than 2,000 members will attend the annual session to provide advice on major national policies and key issues spanning economic, political, cultural, social, and ecological development.
The spokesman briefed the media on the National Committee of the CPPCC's achievements over the past year, as well as its goals for improving national development and people's livelihoods.
Noting that economic issues have always been a priority for the CPPCC in fulfilling its duties, Liu said the CPPCC National Committee has actively provided suggestions and insights on a range of major economic topics over the past year, contributing to economic recovery and progress through substantial and effective efforts.
He highlighted efforts over the past year to promote traditional culture, further open up the economy, integrate education with scientific progress, maintain global peace and stability, and advance green development.
The press conference brought together many journalists from outside the Chinese mainland, with several from Africa stating that they are covering the 'two sessions' to explore what insights their countries can gain from China's political system and its foreign policy agenda regarding Africa.
"I'm here to learn what is done here in China, and how, for example, what is told here can be reproduced in our countries, and to know the similarities and the differences we have in our politics," said Fatou Ndiaye, a journalist from Senegal.
"I'm looking forward to hearing what China has planned for the developing world in terms of Sino-African relations," said Brian Ngugi, a journalist from Kenya.
Alex McCutcheon, a journalist from China's Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, said he will focus on China's achievements and plans for sci-tech advancements and applications as he covers the annual session.
"Also, anything related to science and technology, anything that's going to help to improve the transformation from research results into actual real-life improvements on people's lives," he said.
The "two sessions" refer to the annual meetings of China's top legislature, the National People's Congress (NPC), and the CPPCC National Committee, which are scheduled to open on March 5 and March 4, respectively.
China’s top political advisory body holds media briefing ahead of annual session
