Egypt build communications network with Chinese company

Smart communications network which covers all Egypt has been completed as a result of cooperation between the Egyptian Communications Company and a leading Chinese communications company.

The network with a capacity of 2 million lines has been built at a cost of L.E. 52 million. The Chinese government advanced half the sum as a grant.

Tarek Kamel, Chief Advisor to the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, who Tuesday attended a ceremony marking the completion of the project, said it was the beginning of cooperation between Egypt and China in the field of communications and information technology.

President Hosni Mubarak visited the premises of the Chinese company in China in January 2002.

Kamel said a joint project was being carried out with another Chinese company to manufacture small telephone exchanges which it is planned to export to Arab countries and a number of North African countries next year.

The Chinese Ambassador in Cairo said this cooperation was the result of directives from the Chinese leadership to deepen cooperation with Egypt.

The Chinese company has a service center in Egypt operated by Egyptian staff.