A man stands up in Karnak Temple in Luxor, Egypt November 23, 2018. (REUTERS)
CAIRO, Nov. 24 (Xinhua) -- The first Chinese archeological mission in Egypt will start its excavation works on Sunday in Montu Temple in monument-rich southern province of Luxor, an Egyptian official said in a statement on Friday.
"This is the first Chinese archeological team to work in Egypt," said Mostafa al-Saghir, director-general of Karnak temples in Luxor, noting that the Chinese have vast expertise in the field of excavation.
A general view of Karnak Temple in Luxor, Egypt November 23, 2018. (REUTERS)
He added that the authorization of the Chinese team comes under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between the Egyptian Ministry of Antiquities and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS) in October.
The Egyptian official expected the mission to be a beginning for more Chinese mission to work in different archeological sites in Egypt.
The Chinese mission will conduct excavation, renovation and documenting works at the site, Saghir noted in a statement.
The MoU between between Cairo and the CASS aims at boosting cultural and educational joint activities between the two sides and raise awareness of both Egyptian and Chinese cultural heritages.
Tourists visit Karnak Temple in Luxor, Egypt, November 23, 2018. (REUTERS)
Egypt, one of the world's oldest civilizations, has been working hard to preserve its archaeological heritage and discover the secrets of its ancient artefacts.
Over the past few years, the country has witnessed several big archaeological discoveries including pharaonic tombs, statues, coffins, mummies, burial sites and funerary gardens.