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CAIRO: Chinese President Xi Jinping’s visit to Egypt on Tuesday is far more than a ceremonial stop.
It comes as the two countries deepen economic ties, expand cooperation in technology and defense, and increasingly align on key regional and international issues — underscoring the growing strategic weight of the Egypt-China relationship.
The Chinese leader is scheduled to arrive in Cairo for a three-day state visit, his first trip to Egypt in a decade.
“This is much more than a diplomatic courtesy. It reflects the growing strategic importance of Egypt to China, both economically and geopolitically,” said Hany El-Gamal, head of Tafkeer, a Cairo-based political affairs think tank.
“The historic relationship between Egypt and China, rooted in ties between two of the world’s oldest civilizations, is gaining new momentum with President Xi Jinping’s visit,” he told Arab News.
“China is seeking to demonstrate that it has a strategic partner in the Middle East, and that Cairo is not simply oriented toward Washington, but maintains strong relations with other major powers.”
Political analyst Saeed Sadek said the visit reinforces mutual political trust at a time of regional turbulence.
“The visit is evolutionary rather than revolutionary: consolidating a mature partnership that has already moved well beyond the 2016 baseline into industry, defense exercises, and advanced technology sectors.”
Sadek said Egypt places a strong emphasis on strategic autonomy and diversified partnerships, while China values reliable partners with strategic importance in the Arab world and Africa.
Regional significance
El-Gamal believes that for Beijing, Egypt is particularly important because of the Suez Canal and the Red Sea. China’s presence there gives Beijing access to one of the world’s most important trade routes, while Egypt also offers Chinese companies access to a huge regional and African market.
With Chinese investment expanding into technology, telecommunications and electric vehicles, the relationship is becoming increasingly multidimensional, he noted.
“This is a longstanding relationship taking on new dimensions — strategic, economic, technological and geopolitical.”
Sadek sees that the visit further highlights Egypt’s position as a key Arab and African interlocutor for China, reflecting Beijing’s preference for pragmatic, sovereignty-conscious diplomacy and efforts to promote economic stability amid ongoing turmoil in the Middle East.
For Egypt, closer ties with China “diversify its options amid economic pressures and regional crises, without requiring exclusive alignment.”
“Chinese officials emphasize that the visit contributes to a more balanced international order, while Egyptian and independent analyses focus on the pragmatic benefits in terms of investment, technology, and strategic room for maneuver,” he told Arab News.
