Chinese Newspaper: Sisi and Xi Jinping Return to Ancient Egypt at Grand Egyptian Museum

Chinese Newspaper: Sisi and Xi Jinping Return to Ancient Egypt at Grand Egyptian Museum

Monday, September 7, 2026, 3:54 PM

Chinese newspaper China Daily highlighted Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to the Grand Egyptian Museum, emphasizing the important role museums play in preserving history and promoting dialogue between civilizations.

Sisi and Xi Jinping Explore Ancient Egypt

The newspaper said in an article published Monday that the Egyptian and Chinese presidents returned to the world of ancient Egypt after visiting Luxor nearly a decade ago. This time, their destination was the Grand Egyptian Museum on the Giza Plateau.

During Xi Jinping’s official visit to Egypt last week, the two presidents and their wives toured the museum and viewed some of the most important treasures of ancient Egyptian civilization, including Tutankhamun’s throne, his golden mask and royal chariots.

The newspaper said Xi described the museum as an “endless book” while viewing artifacts documenting thousands of years of Egyptian civilization.

Xi: Egypt and China Are Ancient Civilizations

China Daily reported that Xi Jinping emphasized during the tour that China and Egypt are ancient civilizations and both countries possess rich World Heritage sites.

Xi called for promoting a civilizational vision based on equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness, while strengthening the Global Civilization Initiative and promoting peaceful coexistence and mutual learning among civilizations.

Museums Connect the Past, Present and Future

The newspaper also highlighted Xi Jinping’s long-standing interest in museums and their role in preserving human civilizations and passing their heritage on to future generations.

It recalled Xi’s description of museums as important places for protecting civilizations and as bridges connecting the past, present and future.

China Daily also cited Xi’s remarks at a seminar held at the Dunhuang Academy in Gansu Province in August 2019, where he emphasized cultural confidence and learning from other civilizations.

Museums as Platforms for Civilizational Dialogue

The newspaper quoted researchers who said museums preserve the material, cultural and intellectual heritage of human civilizations and allow visitors to directly engage with the achievements, lifestyles and ideas of earlier societies.

According to the article, Xi views museums as opportunities for people to discover unfamiliar histories, identify common elements in human creativity and gain a deeper understanding of one another.

Museums Showcase Chinese Civilization

China Daily noted that museums have also served as platforms through which Xi Jinping has introduced visiting foreign leaders to China’s history and cultural heritage.

Wang Yiwei, deputy director of the Xi Jinping Thought Institute at Renmin University of China, said the Global Civilization Initiative reflects this approach by calling for respect for civilizational diversity, equality, mutual learning, dialogue and inclusiveness.