Xi Jinping’s Cairo trip marks ‘best ties in history’ as Egypt seeks to balance West

Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to return to Egypt this week, marking his first visit since 2016 and reinforcing the deepening ties between the two nations. Beijing aims to expand economic, military, and diplomatic ties with Cairo as Egypt seeks to balance its relationships with the West and other global powers.

Xi's visit coincides with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries, which were reestablished in 1974. The Chinese Foreign Ministry described the relations as "at their best in history" and highlighted the visit as a way for both sides to build upon past cooperation and set the direction for future ties.

Egypt's President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi has visited China multiple times since taking office in 2014, but Xi's trip represents a significant opportunity for both nations to showcase a durable non-Western partnership. The visit is expected to result in reaffirming a comprehensive strategic partnership and potentially announcing agreements on trade, investment, and Belt and Road cooperation, as well as the use of the Chinese yuan in bilateral transactions.

China's economic ties with Egypt have grown rapidly, with bilateral trade reaching approximately US$20.8 billion in 2025, up from US$17.38 billion the previous year. The China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone in Ain Sokhna has hosted nearly 200 companies, with reported investments of over US$3.8 billion and the creation of about 10,000 jobs.

Military cooperation is also expanding, with Egypt and China conducting joint air exercises and deploying Chinese fighter jets to Egypt. While Egypt has traditionally relied on US military assistance, the growing military ties with China demonstrate Cairo's efforts to diversify its defense relationships.

On issues such as Gaza and Iran, both Beijing and Cairo show broad alignment, supporting a ceasefire, Palestinian statehood, and Egypt's mediating and reconstruction role. However, while China maintains a closer relationship with Iran, its involvement in the ongoing conflict is limited.

China views Egypt as a regional "pivot" connecting the Arab world, Africa, the Mediterranean, and the Red Sea. Egypt hopes to leverage Chinese investment, technology, and market access to advance industrialization and expand its diplomatic room for maneuver. The next phase of economic cooperation may focus on electric vehicles, solar power, energy storage, green hydrogen, desalination, artificial intelligence, and port logistics.