Xi, Sisi hold Cairo talks to deepen China-Egypt ties

Chinese President Xi Jinping held talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Cairo on Wednesday, as the two leaders moved to expand their Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Xi's first visit to Egypt in a decade. The visit, which began with Xi's arrival on Tuesday evening, coincides with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries and comes against the backdrop of a Middle East reshaped by the ongoing US-Iran conflict.reuters+1

Economic Partnership Takes Center Stage

Trade and investment dominated the agenda. Bilateral trade reached $20.8 billion in 2025, and both governments have set a target to exceed $25 billion by the end of 2026. China-Egypt trade grew 23.2 percent year-on-year in the first seven months of 2026, reaching $13.75 billion, according to China's Ministry of Commerce.aa+2

A key driver has been China's elimination of tariffs on products from 53 African nations, including Egypt, which took effect in May. Egyptian exports to China surged nearly 200 percent in the first half of 2026, reaching $840.8 million compared to $280.5 million in the same period a year earlier, according to Egypt's Central Agency for Public Mobilization and Statistics. The two leaders were expected to sign agreements covering artificial intelligence, transport, energy, and investment in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, according to Egyptian media.egyptindependent+2

The China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone, which hosts more than 200 companies with cumulative investment exceeding $4.7 billion, has become a symbol of the evolving relationship. "The fundamental shift is from China building for Egypt to China building with Egypt," Beijing-based analyst Einar Tangen told Anadolu Agency.aa

Military Ties and Strategic Balance

The visit follows joint Chinese-Egyptian air force exercises in August, known as "Eagles of Civilisation," which for the first time featured Chinese J-16 fighter jets deployed to Africa. Yet analysts say a formal military alliance is not on the table. Riccardo Fabiani, North Africa project director at the International Crisis Group, said Cairo "will not try to replace the US with China or to establish military ties that go too far and potentially worry Washington".scmp+1

The trip also carries a geopolitical dimension. Both countries face the threat of expanded US sanctions over financial ties to Iran, according to Reuters. Gamal Salama, a political science professor at Egypt's Suez University, told TRT World that Egypt is pursuing "strategic autonomy: not breaking with Washington, not aligning completely with Beijing, but creating enough room to pursue its own national interests".trtworld+1

Broader Regional Ambitions

Xi's Egypt stop is part of a wider diplomatic tour that included the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Kyrgyzstan and precedes an expected meeting with US President Donald Trump later in September. For Beijing, the visit reinforces its positioning as an economic and diplomatic player in the Middle East, building on its role brokering the 2023 Iran-Saudi Arabia rapprochement. For Cairo, deeper Chinese engagement offers capital, technology, and leverage at a moment when the regional security order is in flux.themedialine+2