CAIRO, March 27 -- Chinese Vice Premier Liu Yandong on Saturday asked for further cultural cooperation between her country and Egypt.

Liu attended a forum of Chinese and Egyptian university chiefs in Cairo and hailed the event as a chance for further bilateral cultural cooperation.

"This conference is considered as a new platform to boost cooperation between the two countries in the field of education and to enhance the Chinese-Egyptian friendship," Liu told the forum.

She noted that this year marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Egypt.

"China and Egypt should make full use of the unique cultural interaction between the two states and strengthen the friendship of their two peoples," Liu said, urging both sides to take further steps to push forward the initiative of the Silk Road Economic Belt and the 21st-Century Maritime Silk Road.

Proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2013, the main idea of the initiative is to revive ancient trade routes to link China with over 60 countries in Asia, Africa and Europe through the Belt and Road Initiative.

Liu urged the two sides to deepen practical cooperation in the fields of education, science and technology, culture, health and tourism.

The Chinese vice premier expressed the hope that the China-Egypt cultural interaction can be the "locomotive" for further Chinese-Arab and Chinese-African cultural exchanges.

She also called for Chinese and Egyptian universities to deepen cooperation.