CAIRO, Sept 23, 2003 (Xinhua via COMTEX) -- A Chinese hi-tech exposition is to make debut in the Egyptian capital in an effort to promote bilateral economic ties, a Chinese trade official said here on Tuesday.

Zhang Ji, deputy director-general in charge of science and technology in China’s Ministry of Commerce, told reporters that the event will mark the beginning of Sino-Egyptian cooperation in the hi-tech area.

During the exposition on Sept. 25-28, China’s biggest ever abroad, some 100 Chinese enterprises are expected to show their telecommunications, machinery, bio-pharmaceutical products to Egyptian customers, Zhang said.

"The exposition will help enable Egyptian customers to know more about Chinese hi-tech commodities," he said.

In view of Egypt’s favorable geographic location, the four-day exposition could serve as a springboard for Chinese hi-tech products to gain access to the Arab world, he added.

According to Chinese statistics, two-way trade between China and Egypt reached 940 million US dollars last year, while China exported 71 million dollars worth of hi-tech products to Egypt.

China’s exports to Egypt from January to July this year stood at 582 million dollars.