Xi Jinping visits Egypt for first time in 10 years amid Middle East crisis
Geopolitics Impact 4
President Xi Jinping arrived in Egypt on Tuesday (September 1), marking his first visit in 10 years to the most populous nation in the Arab world, amid a reassessment of security and economic relations in the Middle East following the Iran war that has shaken global energy markets and raised questions about the U.S. role as a long-term ally. Egyptian state media has touted economic and military cooperation with China throughout the week, with President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi stating in an op-ed that China and Egypt are partners that jointly enhance the role of Global South countries. Meanwhile, President Xi, in an article published by Xinhua News Agency, said the two nations are like brothers standing side by side in opposing imperialism. Although Egypt receives about $1.3 billion in annual U.S. military aid, it recently hosted its second joint military exercise with China in August, following the first in 2025. A scholar from RUSI noted that Egypt is trying to diversify its alliance risks amid U.S. uncertainty stemming from the wars in Gaza and Iran. China has invested billions of dollars in Egypt across manufacturing, ports, solar energy, green hydrogen, and satellite technology. Eric Olander of the China Global South Project said Egypt is the most obvious choice for this visit because it connects to the Israeli-Palestinian issue, Africa, and Gulf tensions.
