Xi Jinping Advocates New Security Framework During Egypt Visit
Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Egypt, highlighting the need for a reconfigured security order in the Middle East free from external interference. This visit marks his first to Egypt in a decade, as the country seeks to bolster its ties with China while balancing its relationship with the U.S.
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Chinese President Xi Jinping's three-day visit to Egypt coincided with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations and marked his first trip to the Middle East in four years, sparking discussions about Egypt's balancing act between China and the United States. Huawei has submitted a proposal to build AI data centers in Egypt, offering 1,408 AI processors for a 12-month build timeline, while the US is working on a counteroffer involving Nvidia, AMD, and Microsoft, amidst an AI investment gap of $285.9 billion by US firms compared to $12.4 billion by China in 2025. Egypt, which receives approximately $1.3 billion annually in US military aid, is becoming a potential battleground in the US-China AI race, complicating its geopolitical landscape.
Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Egypt on September 2, 2026, to strengthen diplomatic and economic ties, marking his first visit to the region since 2022 and the first in a decade to Egypt. During the visit, Xi emphasized cooperation against "unilateralism" and announced that China has invested over $10 billion in Egypt, with annual trade between the two nations reaching approximately $20 billion. This visit occurs against the backdrop of Egypt's recent inclusion in the BRICS bloc and efforts to diversify its strategic partnerships away from traditional alliances with the U.S., which had a trade volume with Egypt of $15.7 billion in 2025.
Chinese President Xi Jinping emphasized the need for Middle Eastern countries to resist external interference and advocated for a reconfiguration of the region's security order during his visit to Cairo, where he met with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. The two leaders discussed the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran and signed an agreement to advance the Egyptian-Chinese industrial zone at the Suez Canal, which currently hosts 200 companies with investments worth approximately $4 billion. Xi's visit and talks reflect China's strategic interest in increasing its influence in the Middle East, particularly at a time when the US is perceived as uncertain about its role in the region.
Chinese President Xi Jinping is visiting Egypt for the first time in a decade as Cairo seeks to strengthen economic and military ties with Beijing while maintaining its relationship with the U.S. The three-day visit, marking 70 years of diplomatic relations, includes discussions on regional conflicts and expected economic agreements in areas such as artificial intelligence and manufacturing, amidst a backdrop of geopolitical instability in the region. Egypt, with a population of 110 million and control of the vital Suez Canal, is an important strategic partner for China, especially as the Strait of Hormuz has been closed by Iran for six months, impacting global oil trade.