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Chinese President Xi Jinping called on Middle Eastern nations to reject “external interference” on Wednesday during his first visit to Cairo in a decade.
Meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi amid the ongoing US-Iran conflict, Xi urged regional states to take ownership of their security affairs.
Both leaders advocated for diplomatic solutions to end the six-month war, while Xi pledged China’s readiness to collaborate with regional partners to safeguard imperilled international shipping lanes.
The visit yielded significant economic deals, including an agreement to launch the third phase of the Egyptian-Chinese industrial zone near the Suez Canal.
Already home to 200 companies and $4 billion in investments, the expanded zone cements Beijing’s influence over a vital global trade route as conflict disrupts nearby maritime conduits.
The two BRICS members also signed pacts advancing China’s Belt and Road Initiative, semiconductor technology, data centres, and local-currency trading.
The summit highlights Cairo’s strategy to balance its foreign relations and reduce reliance on Washington, which recently threatened expanded sanctions against entities trading with Iran.
As US influence in the region faces growing scrutiny, Beijing continues to deepen its strategic footprint in Egypt through expanding trade, joint infrastructure investments, and recent joint military exercises.
