Photo taken on Dec. 4, 2018 shows the pavilion of China National Precision Machinery Import & Export Corporation at Egypt Defence Expo (EDEX) 2018 in Cairo, Egypt. Chinese defense products have demonstrated strong presence in their pavilions at Egypt's first tri-service defense expo, EDEX 2018, held on Dec. 3-5 in the Cairo International Convention and Exhibition Center. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

by Mahmoud Fouly, Ahmed Shafiq

CAIRO, Dec. 5 (Xinhua) -- Chinese defense products have demonstrated strong presence in their pavilions at Egypt's first tri-service defense expo, EDEX 2018, held on Dec. 3-5 in the vast Cairo International Convention and Exhibition Center.

Several Chinese leading military corporations, including China North Industries Corporation (NORINCO), Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) and China Shipbuilding Industry Corporation (CSIC), exhibited their latest military products in the three-day event.

China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Co., Ltd. (CSOC), China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC) and China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation (CATIC) also took part in the big fair.

NORINCO displayed some of its most advanced weapons and military equipment, including artillery, missiles, rocket launchers, air defense systems, as well as armored vehicles and tanks.

"We have been officially invited by the Egyptian defense ministry to take part in the event, for we have strong cooperation with the Egyptian armed forces," said Wang Cheng, deputy general manager of NORINCO's West Asia department.

"We cooperate with the Egyptian army in providing light and heavy weapons as well as ammunition and modernizing old military equipment for the Egyptian armed forces," Wang told Xinhua at the exhibition.

Fu Yongcai, CSIC assistant president and head of the company's military trade department, told Xinhua that his corporation displayed 22 models and two products, "including ships and army equipment."

The main exhibited products are four types of warships and a series of small-sized submarines that are being or already sold in the Middle East, as well as the Kirin-class submarines for export, Fu said.

"Our company has been cooperating with Egypt since 1980s. At that time, Egypt purchased four Chinese submarines that it has been using for 30 years and they are still in use until now," said the CSIC assistant chief, hoping that EDEX will become an international exhibition covering the Middle East and Africa.

EDEX 2018, with the participation of 373 enterprises from 41 countries, was inaugurated by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi on Monday, in the presence of senior military officials and defense ministers of many participant states.

The event is fully supported by Egyptian armed forces and presents a new opportunity for exhibitors to showcase the latest technology, equipment and systems across land, sea and air on an area of about 17,000 square meters under the sponsorship of 15 local and international companies.

In recent years, the growing relations between Egypt and China have been raised to the level of comprehensive strategic partnership backed by both leaderships.

AVIC exhibited models of its star aircraft including the Vigorous Dragon single-seat and two-seat fighters, the Yun-9 military transport aircraft, the L-15 advanced trainer jets and the Pterosaur-1 unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).

Cheng Hongjun, sales manager at China National Aero-Technology Import & Export Corporation, which is directly affiliated with AVIC, said AVIC currently has full-spectrum military aircraft and related airborne weapons including fighter aircraft, transport aircraft, UAVs and trainer jets, after more than 60 years of development.