Chinese President Visits Egypt After Decade-Long Gap

CAIRO: Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Egypt on Wednesday for his first visit to the country in 10 years, with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi welcoming him as Cairo and Beijing seek to deepen security and economic cooperation.

The visit is being viewed as significant amid a broader reassessment of regional security and economic partnerships following the wars involving Iran and Gaza.

Egypt and China have expanded their economic and defence ties in recent years. Last month, the two countries held their second joint military exercises, during which Chinese J-16 fighter jets participated in exercises in Africa for the first time.

According to Reuters, the conflicts in Gaza and Iran have increased Egypt’s concerns over the reliability of the United States as a security partner. Cairo has consequently been pursuing closer relations with other major powers, including China, Russia and European countries.

Chinese investment in Egypt has also grown rapidly across several sectors, including manufacturing, ports, solar energy, green hydrogen and satellite technology.

The visit is expected to provide an opportunity for the two sides to discuss expanding bilateral trade, investment and defence cooperation, alongside wider regional security issues.