Xi visits Egypt as US sanctions threat looms over Iran links

On Tuesday evening, Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Egypt, embarking on a rare trip to the Middle East as both nations face the looming threat of US sanctions over financial ties to Iran. The ongoing Middle East conflict, initiated by joint US and Israeli strikes against Iran on February 28, has plunged the vital trade region into turmoil.

In a stern warning last month, Washington pledged to destabilize Tehran economically, threatening expanded sanctions against Tehran's supporters and associates that could adversely affect Egyptian and Chinese banks.

According to Gamal Salama, a political science professor at Egypt's Suez University, Xi's visit comes at a critical juncture when China's economic interests are directly exposed to the US-Iran war. Liu Jia, a research fellow at the Middle East Institute in Singapore, noted that China is actively seeking Egypt's cooperation in managing and shaping regional affairs.

China and Egypt share a close collaboration, with both nations supporting an independent Palestinian state as part of a two-state solution. Furthermore, the US has threatened Egypt, cutting off Banque Misr's operations in the UAE from the US financial system as part of its economic pressure campaign targeting Iran. In response, China has vowed to protect its interests. Their militaries recently conducted joint air combat exercises in August, featuring J-16 fighter jets.

Xi's meeting with his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, is scheduled for Wednesday. This follows a visit by Jordan's King Abdullah II to Beijing, whose country has also been impacted by the US-led war with Iran. In August, Xi assured Abdullah that China believes in the sovereignty and security of regional countries.