Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged Middle East countries to oppose external interference and consider reshaping the region’s security order during talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Cairo on Wednesday.
The leaders also called for diplomatic solutions and a comprehensive agreement to end the six-month US-Israel war with Iran, according to a statement from el-Sisi’s spokesperson.
China links security and shipping
Xi said China was ready to work with countries in the region to protect international shipping lanes, deepen development cooperation and remove conditions that allow conflict to grow. The remarks came as fighting has disrupted traffic in the Strait of Hormuz, between Oman and Iran, and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, between Yemen and the Horn of Africa.
Xi was welcomed by el-Sisi at the Ittihadiya presidential palace, where the Egyptian president hosted talks following a 21-gun salute. The visit is Xi’s first to Cairo in a decade.
A new industrial phase at the Suez Canal
Egypt and China signed an agreement to launch the third phase of an Egyptian-Chinese industrial zone at the Suez Canal. Egyptian officials said the zone already contains 200 companies and investments worth about $4bn, but they did not announce the value of the new investments.
Egyptian officials said additional agreements were signed without providing details. The expanded industrial partnership gives Beijing a larger role in the canal zone, a major route for international trade.
Cairo and Beijing broaden their partnerships
Mirette Mabrouk of the Middle East Institute said China views Egypt as a key partner and an entry point to wider regional influence. She said Egypt’s closer relationship with Beijing is part of an effort to diversify its partnerships rather than align with one power. For additional context, see “Why the Strait of Hormuz crisis is reshaping global shipping”.
The visit follows the signing last month of the Mecca Defence Alliance by Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan. The pact includes a NATO-style Article 5 clause, under which an armed attack on one member is considered an attack on all. Officials from the three countries have said it does not replace existing security agreements.
Egypt receives $1.3bn in US military aid annually and has historically acted as a key Middle East mediator. The talks took place ahead of an expected meeting between Xi and US President Donald Trump this month.
What happens next
Xi is expected to visit the Grand Egyptian Museum overlooking the Giza Pyramids later on Wednesday, while his expected meeting with Donald Trump is due this month.
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