Xi arrived in Cairo on Tuesday for his first Egypt trip in 10 years, opening a three-day visit centered on talks with President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi and a push to deepen economic and diplomatic ties.
China is using the visit to cast itself as a regional stabilizer and widen influence in the Middle East, while Egypt is leveraging the relationship to diversify partnerships beyond the United States.
More than $10 billion in Chinese investment has flowed into Egypt, including a business hub east of Cairo and an electric rail line, and annual bilateral trade is estimated at $20 billion versus $15.7 billion in U.S.-Egypt trade in 2025.
Egypt’s strategic value has risen as war-related disruption in the Strait of Hormuz makes the Suez Canal a more important energy route, giving Beijing added reason to strengthen ties with Cairo.
The visit follows China’s 2023 Saudi-Iran mediation, Egypt’s entry into BRICS and recent Belt and Road agreements, underscoring Beijing’s broader bid to challenge U.S. influence in the region.