Chinese President Xi Jinping and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi have reaffirmed their commitment to deepening strategic ties between Beijing and Cairo, with economic cooperation and regional security dominating talks during Xi’s visit to Egypt.
Xi, who was making his first visit to Egypt in a decade, was formally received by Sisi at the Ittihadiya Presidential Palace in Cairo, where he was accorded a 21-gun salute before the two leaders held bilateral discussions.
The visit comes as China seeks to expand its economic and diplomatic influence in the Middle East amid heightened regional tensions, the ongoing U.S.-Iran war and concerns over the security of international shipping routes.
During the talks, Xi called on Middle Eastern countries to take greater responsibility for resolving regional challenges, while opposing external interference in their affairs.
He said China supports dialogue among countries in the region to address peace and security concerns and expressed Beijing’s readiness to cooperate with regional states to safeguard international shipping lanes.
China remains a major purchaser of Iranian oil and has resisted efforts to economically isolate Tehran, while also seeking to protect its expanding commercial and investment interests across the Middle East.
Economic cooperation featured prominently in the discussions between Xi and Sisi.
According to Egypt’s presidency, the two countries signed an agreement to launch the third phase of the Egyptian-Chinese industrial zone, further expanding a major platform for Chinese investment and manufacturing in Egypt.
The industrial zone currently hosts about 200 companies, with total investments estimated at approximately $4 billion.
The latest agreement is expected to further strengthen trade and investment relations between the two countries and consolidate Egypt’s position as an important gateway for Chinese businesses seeking access to African and Middle Eastern markets.
Following their official talks, Xi and Sisi, accompanied by their wives, toured the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza.
The museum, one of Egypt’s largest cultural and tourism projects, provided a symbolic backdrop to the visit, highlighting the historical and cultural dimensions of relations between the two countries.
Xi’s trip underscores the increasingly strategic nature of China-Egypt relations, which have expanded beyond traditional trade and investment to include infrastructure, industrial development and diplomatic cooperation on regional issues.
For Cairo, stronger ties with Beijing provide an important source of investment and economic support, while China views Egypt as a strategically significant partner because of its location linking Africa, the Middle East and major global trade routes.
The visit therefore reflects a broader effort by both countries to deepen their partnership at a time of heightened geopolitical uncertainty in the Middle East.
