Xi returns to transformed Middle East for first Egypt visit in 10 years
The Chinese leader is coming back to a region convulsed by war and with U.S. economic weapons once again deployed against Tehran.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to return to Egypt this week, marking his first visit to the country in ten years. The Middle East has undergone significant transformations since Xi's last trip to the region in 2016, when he was the first major world leader to do so following the lifting of sanctions against Iran by the U.S. and the European Union. Since then, the region has been plagued by conflict, with the United States deploying economic sanctions against Iran once again.
Xi is expected to arrive in Cairo on Wednesday at the invitation of President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi. Upon his arrival, he will find a new administrative capital east of Cairo, along with a network of modern highways, railways, and monorails connecting the metropolis. The coastal areas of Egypt have also seen a surge in the construction of luxurious resorts, while an expanded investment zone along the Suez Canal aims to become a major global trade hub.
The changes in Egypt and the wider Middle East underscore the evolving dynamics in the region since Xi's last visit a decade ago.
Written by urgent.news from Japan Times's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
