Chinese President Xi Jinping called on Middle Eastern countries to resist external interference during a visit to Egypt on Wednesday, emphasizing Beijing’s readiness to collaborate with regional states to protect maritime shipping amid ongoing tensions stemming from the conflict between the United States and Iran. The visit marks Xi’s first to Cairo in a decade and reflects China’s growing interest in expanding its influence in the Middle East.
In a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi at the Ittihadiya presidential palace, Xi stressed the importance of upholding regional autonomy and promoting dialogue for peace and security. Both leaders urged diplomatic solutions to the US-Iran conflict, with Sisi’s office releasing a joint statement calling for a comprehensive agreement to end the war.
Xi’s visit was marked by a ceremonial welcome, including a 21-gun salute, and a tour of the Grand Egyptian Museum near the Giza Pyramids. Egyptian streets were adorned with Chinese and Egyptian flags alongside billboards featuring the two presidents, underscoring the significance of the visit.
During the talks, Egypt and China announced an agreement to advance the third phase of the Egyptian-Chinese industrial zone at the Suez Canal, which currently hosts approximately 200 companies with investments valued at around $4 billion. While Egypt did not disclose the new investment figures, the deal highlights Beijing’s strengthening presence in a vital global trade route, particularly as instability affects other regional maritime passages like the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb.
Complementing the industrial zone agreement, the two countries also signed deals pertaining to the Belt and Road Initiative, information technology, transportation, industry, and supply chains. The joint statement outlined plans to deepen cooperation in areas such as data centers, cloud computing, semiconductors, and critical metals, alongside efforts to increase the use of their respective national currencies in bilateral trade.
Analysts see China’s expanding role in the Middle East as a response to uncertain U.S. engagement in the region. Mirette Mabrouk, a senior fellow at the Washington-based Middle East Institute, noted that Washington’s shifting stance has created openings for Beijing to enhance partnerships with key regional players like Egypt. The recent conflict, including Iranian drone attacks on U.S. allies in the Gulf, has heightened regional security concerns, further driving nations to seek diversified alliances.
Egypt’s cooperation with China extends beyond economics. Military ties have grown, exemplified by joint exercises held in August that featured Chinese J-16 fighter jets. For Cairo, strengthening relations with Beijing is part of a broader strategy to pursue an independent foreign policy and reduce reliance on any single power, as President Sisi remarked in a recent op-ed.
The visit occurs against a backdrop of escalating economic sanctions aimed at Iran, which have the potential to affect Chinese financial institutions due to Beijing’s significant oil imports from Tehran. Ahead of an anticipated meeting between Xi and U.S. President Donald Trump later this month, China appears intent on bolstering ties with U.S.-friendly countries in the region while safeguarding its own strategic interests.