Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Cairo on Tuesday for his first visit to Egypt in a decade, as the two countries celebrate 70 years of diplomatic relations and push their partnership into ambitious new territory. The visit — framed by Beijing as a milestone in a "comprehensive strategic partnership" — comes as China seeks to expand its influence across the Middle East and Africa using Egypt as a strategic pivot.

Since Xi's last visit in 2016, China's physical footprint in Egypt has grown substantially. Chinese companies built the central business district of Egypt's New Administrative Capital, including the 385.8-metre Iconic Tower — currently Africa's tallest building. A China-assisted light rail links Cairo's eastern suburbs to new urban centres, and the China-Egypt industrial zone near the Suez Canal now hosts more than 200 companies and has generated around 10,000 direct jobs. Cumulative investment has reached billions of dollars, with bilateral trade hitting $11.3 billion in the first half of 2026 alone, a 21.5% year-on-year increase. The relationship is, however, lopsided: Egyptian imports from China totalled $10.4 billion over that period, against just $840 million in Egyptian exports.

Both governments are now focused on moving beyond construction and infrastructure. A 2024–2028 cooperation programme targets electric vehicles, electronics, solar panels, artificial intelligence and space sciences, with Egypt pressing for technology transfer and greater market access in China. Military ties are also deepening: a joint air force exercise called Eagles of Civilisation — only its second edition, following a first held last year — is running at Egyptian air bases through early September, covering air combat tactics, air superiority, search and rescue, and joint force deployment. The United States, Egypt's longstanding primary security partner, has not publicly commented on the drills, though the Pentagon has previously expressed concern about Chinese military engagement with American partners across the region.

On the second day of the visit, Presidents Xi and Abdel Fattah el-Sisi held formal talks covering a range of regional issues. Both leaders emphasised the primacy of diplomatic solutions to conflicts, with Xi calling on external powers to abandon double standards in the Middle East and reject foreign interference. El-Sisi stressed the need for a just resolution to the Palestinian question in line with international law, and highlighted Egypt's efforts to advance the second phase of the Gaza ceasefire agreement. He also raised Egypt's vital interest in Nile River water security — a sensitive issue given ongoing disputes with upstream countries — calling on all Nile Basin states to respect international law.

For China, Egypt's appeal is strategic as much as economic. The Suez Canal, through which roughly 12% of global maritime trade passes, gives Egypt outsized importance in global supply chains. Egypt was also the first Arab and African country to recognise the People's Republic of China in 1956, joined China's Belt and Road Initiative early, entered the BRICS group of major emerging economies in January 2024, and holds dialogue-partner status with the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Chinese analysts describe the partnership as a cornerstone of Beijing's vision for a more multipolar world, with the two countries aligned on key positions including support for a Palestinian state and One China policy. Egypt, for its part, is deliberately diversifying its partnerships — balancing deepening ties with Beijing against continued reliance on Western economic and security support.