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China's Xi lands in Egypt as Iran war reshapes Middle East alliances
The leaders are expected to sign deals on artificial intelligence, transport and energy as Egypt seeks Chinese investment and broader strategic autonomy.
On Tuesday, Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Cairo for his first visit in a decade, marking 70 years of diplomatic ties with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi.
Aiming to deepen their comprehensive strategic partnership, Sisi and Xi meet amid intense regional instability driven by the six-month US-Israel war on Iran.
Bilateral trade reached nearly $20.7bn by end of 2025, while the China-Egypt TEDA cooperation zone in Ain Sokhna hosts about 200 companies with investments exceeding $3.8bn.
Cairo seeks "strategic autonomy: not breaking with Washington, not aligning completely with Beijing," pursuing Chinese investments in local AI and electronics industries.
Beijing and Cairo plan to sign agreements on energy, transport, and Suez Canal Economic Zone development, positioning China as a strategic power broker across the Middle East.