World News
Chinese President Xi Jinping visits Egypt to deepen diplomatic and trade ties
The trip marks Xi's first visit to Egypt in a decade as Beijing expands Middle Eastern partnerships amid shifting regional dynamics.
The short version
- Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi in Cairo, marking his first trip to Egypt in ten years.
- The leaders highlighted growing trade and infrastructure ties, with bilateral trade reaching approximately $20 billion annually and Chinese investments surpassing $10 billion.
- Egypt is expanding engagement with Beijing to diversify its international alliances, while China seeks greater diplomatic and economic reach across the Middle East.
- A key focus is maritime and energy transit through the Egyptian-controlled Suez Canal amid ongoing trade disruptions elsewhere in the region.
Key facts
- Xi Jinping arrived in Cairo on Tuesday evening for his first official trip to Egypt in a decade and his first visit to the Middle East since 2022.[NPR]
- Chinese investment in Egypt exceeds $10 billion, covering major infrastructure including an electric rail system in the Nile Delta and a commercial center east of Cairo.[NPR]
- Annual bilateral trade between China and Egypt stands at an estimated $20 billion, surpassing the $15.7 billion in trade recorded between Egypt and the U.S. in 2025.[NPR]
- Egypt joined the BRICS bloc in 2023 and signed formal agreements under China's Belt and Road Initiative in 2024.[NPR]
- In August, China and Egypt conducted joint military air drills involving Chinese J-16 jets and Egyptian Rafale fighters.[NPR]
What remains uncertain
- The long-term impact of deepening China-Egypt relations on Egypt's longstanding strategic and security partnership with the United States remains unclear.[NPR]