Egypt's imports of iron and steel from China amounted to approximately $445.9 million during the first 5 months of 2026, according to the latest data from the Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics (CAPMAS). Iron and steel products were among the most prominent commodity groups imported by Egypt from the Chinese market during this period.
The data showed that Egypt's total imports from China increased to approximately $8.3 billion during the period from January to May 2026, compared to $7.5 billion during the same period in 2025, an increase of $862.1 million, or 11.5%.
Electrical machinery and equipment topped the list of the most important commodity groups imported from China, valued at approximately $2 billion. This was followed by boilers, machinery, mechanical appliances, and their parts, valued at $1.3 billion. Then came vehicles, tractors, bicycles, and their parts, valued at $932.3 million. Iron and steel imports amounted to $445.9 million, while imports of plastics and their products reached about $396 million.
On the other hand, the value of Egyptian exports to China increased during the first 5 months of 2026 to approximately $737.6 million, compared to $235.9 million during the same period in 2025, an increase of $501.7 million, or 212.6%.
Mineral fuels, mineral oils, and their distillation products topped the list of the most important Egyptian commodity groups exported to China, valued at $406 million. This was followed by fruits, valued at $122.3 million, then textile fibers, valued at $34.6 million, salt, sulfur, earth, and stone, valued at $28.1 million, and cotton, valued at $25 million.
Trade exchange between Egypt and China during the first 5 months of 2026 reached approximately $9.1 billion, compared to $7.7 billion during the same period in 2025, an increase of $1.4 billion, or 17.7%.
Regarding investments, the value of Chinese investments in Egypt reached approximately $137.2 million during the first half of the fiscal year 2025/2026, compared to $104 million during the same period of the fiscal year 2024/2025, an increase of 31.9%.
The value of remittances from Egyptians working in China also increased to approximately $23.3 million during the fiscal year 2024/2025, compared to $19.5 million during the fiscal year 2023/2024, an increase of 19.2%.
In contrast, the value of remittances from Chinese working in Egypt reached about $3.5 million during the fiscal year 2024/2025, compared to $3.1 million during the previous fiscal year, an increase of 13.7%.
According to mission estimates, the number of Egyptians present in China reached about 8,000 Egyptians by the end of 2024.
Source: Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics.
