Xi Jinping visits Egypt, deepening China’s Middle East influence

Chinese President Xi Jinping landed in Cairo on a Thursday, marking his first state visit to Egypt in a decade and coinciding with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic ties. The trip follows a two‑day Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Kyrgyzstan and precedes an expected summit between Xi and U.S. President Donald Trump later in the month and a BRICS gathering in New Delhi on 12‑13 September, creating a diplomatic “marathon” that links Central Asia, the Middle East, South Asia and Washington. The SCO summit, held in Bishkek on September 1, brought together leaders such as Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin, Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, and was a platform for anti‑Western solidarity. Xi also met with Kyrgyz President Sadyr Japarov and discussed transport connectivity, trade and infrastructure. The summit issued a statement condemning military strikes against Iran. Xi had previously visited Saudi Arabia in 2022. The BRICS summit in New Delhi is chaired by India and focuses on resilience, innovation, cooperation and sustainability. The Suez Canal, controlled by Egypt, has become a vital alternative route for energy supplies amid disruptions to the Strait of Hormuz.

Both sides framed the visit as a step toward “pragmatic collaboration” that would deepen political, economic and developmental cooperation and reaffirm Egypt’s support for China’s One‑China principle.

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Xi also said China hopes to work with countries in the region to safeguard the security of international shipping lanes, promote the convergence of regional interests, gradually build mutual trust and eliminate the conditions that give rise to conflict.

In a wide‑ranging conversation, Xi said Cairo and Beijing should jointly oppose what he called “unilateralism and acts of bullying,” and called for the two countries to “work together for a more just and equitable global governance system.”

Xi arrived in Cairo on a Friday and was greeted by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el‑Sisi, who praised China’s investments and reiterated Cairo’s support of China’s claim that Taiwan is part of its territory.

"China opposes interference by external forces in the Middle East."

Xi Jinping, President of China, via Xinhua News Agency

El‑Sisi, speaking to Xinhua, framed the partnership as a “comprehensive strategic partnership” and highlighted plans to deepen cooperation in finance, science, technology and new energy. He also stressed the importance of joint security exercises, noting the recent multiday air drill that saw China’s J‑16 fighter jets operate alongside Egypt’s French‑made Rafale fighters.

The visit marked 70 years of diplomatic ties, commemorated in state‑run newspapers with friendly opinion pieces.

With oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz heavily disrupted by the Iran war, the Suez Canal has become an important alternative path for energy supplies.

Huawei has submitted a proposal involving advanced AI data centres and more than 2,000 AI chips for Egyptian government systems, according to Al‑Monitor.

In a multiday air exercise held earlier this year, China’s J‑16 fighter jets operated alongside Egypt’s French‑made Rafale fighters, marking the first combat exercise between the two countries.

The two sides also issued a joint statement on deepening the comprehensive strategic partnership between the People's Republic of China and the Arab Republic of Egypt.

Welcome messages appeared on street signs across Egypt, including one reading “The friendship between Egypt and China, passed down through generations, flows like the Nile.”

In 2023, Beijing brokered a deal to re‑establish diplomatic ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia, a move that showcased China’s aspirations to compete with the United States for influence in the Mideast.

The Belt and Road Initiative, a flagship project of Xi’s administration, has seen Egypt sign agreements with China to collaborate on infrastructure and transportation projects. In 2023, the two countries signed deals to expand the initiative’s reach into the Nile Delta, including an electric rail line for industry and a business hub east of Cairo.

China’s investment of more than $10 billion in Egypt has positioned it as a major economic partner, with annual trade reaching an estimated $20 billion. By comparison, trade between the United States and Egypt totaled $15.7 billion in 2025, underscoring the growing economic ties between Beijing and Cairo.

Egypt’s strategic importance as a gateway to Africa, the Arab world, the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, coupled with its control of the Suez Canal, makes it a key partner for China’s maritime ambitions, especially as energy shipments face disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.