Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Cairo on Tuesday for a three-day visit, signaling Beijing's intent to deepen its influence in the Middle East. The trip marks Xi's first visit to Egypt in a decade and his first to the region since 2022, underscoring China's growing engagement with key American allies.
During his visit, Xi is scheduled to hold talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi. The leaders are expected to discuss expanding economic and diplomatic cooperation. The two nations are celebrating 70 years of diplomatic ties, with both leaders publishing op-eds in Egyptian state-run newspapers. Xi emphasized the need to "expand the scope of pragmatic collaboration," while el-Sissi reiterated Cairo's support for China's One-China policy regarding Taiwan and lauded Chinese investments.
Egypt views its expanding relationship with China as a strategic diversification. The North African nation joined the BRICS bloc in 2023, an economic grouping seen as a counterbalance to Western institutions, and has signed agreements with China on its Belt and Road Initiative. China has invested over $10 billion in Egypt, contributing to infrastructure projects such as a business hub and an electric rail line, with annual trade estimated at $20 billion. This trade volume slightly surpasses the $15.7 billion in trade between the U.S. and Egypt in 2025, though the U.S. partnership remains critical for regional security.
China has increasingly positioned itself as a mediator in the Middle East. In 2023, Beijing brokered a deal to reestablish diplomatic ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia. While ties between Riyadh and Tehran have since become strained, the agreement demonstrated China's aspirations to compete with U.S. influence in the region. China also advocates for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and previously announced a "strategic partnership" with the Palestinian Authority.
The geopolitical significance of Egypt's control over the Suez Canal has also increased, particularly with disruptions to oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz due to the ongoing conflict involving Iran. The Suez Canal offers a vital alternative route for energy supplies, making Egypt a key partner for countries seeking stable transit options.
"China has good reason to strengthen ties with the country that controls the route still open," noted Muhammad Zulfikar Rakhmat, a Middle East expert. He added that Xi views Egypt as a "base to reach the wider Arab and African world, at a time when the US has less attention to spare there."
Recent military cooperation between China and Egypt includes a multiday air exercise held in August, marking the first combat exercise for China's J-16 fighter jets alongside Egypt's French-made Rafale fighters. Xi's visit follows his attendance at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization conference in Kyrgyzstan, a grouping aimed at countering U.S. global influence. The trip also occurs amid U.S. sanctions on Iran, which Beijing states do not violate international law.