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Chinese President Xi Jinping will hold bilateral talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo on Wednesday during his first state visit to the country in a decade.
Xi arrived Tuesday evening alongside First Lady Peng Liyuan, receiving a grand welcome complete with folk dancers and youth performers.
Over the two-day summit, the leaders plan to sign several economic agreements and discuss the ongoing fallout from the US-Iran conflict, particularly as looming American sanctions threaten financial institutions linked to Tehran.
The high-stakes meeting follows recent US Treasury sanctions on the Emirati branch of Egypt’s Banque Misr for alleged ties to Iran.
In an op-ed published Tuesday, Sisi emphasised Egypt’s independent foreign policy and strategic autonomy, signalling that Cairo intends to maintain robust ties with both Washington and Beijing.
For its part, China—a primary buyer of Iranian crude—seeks to protect its regional interests and strengthen relations with key US partners in the Middle East ahead of an upcoming meeting between Xi and US President Donald Trump.
Beyond geopolitical manoeuvring, the two BRICS members aim to expand bilateral trade and cooperation across artificial intelligence, transport, and energy sectors.
Beijing has already funded major Egyptian infrastructure initiatives, including the financial district in the New Administrative Capital and key developments in the Suez Canal Economic Zone.
As global maritime trade faces persistent disruption from the US-Iran war, both presidents plan to discuss expanding Chinese investments to help stabilise regional commerce.
