Xi returns to Egypt after a decade, signalling China's growing role in West Asia
Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Cairo on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, for his first visit to Egypt in a decade. The three-day trip underscores China's deepening engagement in West Asia even as it competes with the United States for influence in a rapidly changing region.
Mr. Xi was received by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi with a red-carpet ceremony at Cairo airport. On Wednesday, the two leaders are scheduled to hold talks, and Mr. Xi is expected to visit the Grand Egyptian Museum near the Giza pyramids. The visit coincides with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Egypt.
Both presidents marked the occasion by publishing opinion articles in Egypt's state-run newspapers on Tuesday. Mr. Xi wrote that Beijing and Cairo should "expand the scope of pragmatic collaboration" through development. Mr. el-Sissi praised China's investments in Egypt and reiterated Egypt's support for China's position that Taiwan is part of Chinese territory.
Mr. Xi's last trip to the region was to Saudi Arabia in 2022, making this his first West Asian visit in several years. Mr. el-Sissi, meanwhile, has visited China multiple times recently, reflecting the growing frequency of high-level exchanges between the two countries.
Egypt has been pursuing a policy of diversifying its strategic partnerships. In 2023, it was invited to join BRICS, the grouping of major emerging economies that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. A year later, Egypt signed agreements with China to cooperate on the Belt and Road Initiative, Beijing's global infrastructure and connectivity project.
China has invested more than $10 billion in Egypt, according to official figures, financing projects such as a business hub east of Cairo and an electric rail line in the Nile Delta. Annual bilateral trade is estimated at $20 billion. By comparison, trade between Egypt and the United States stood at $15.7 billion in 2025.
The significance of Mr. Xi's visit lies in Egypt's longstanding role as a key ally of the United States in West Asia. Cairo has been a crucial partner in U.S. security priorities, and the two nations maintain close leadership ties. China's deepening economic and diplomatic relationship with Egypt illustrates how regional countries are seeking to balance their traditional alliances with new opportunities.
Beyond bilateral ties, China has been positioning itself as a mediator in regional conflicts. In 2023, Beijing brokered an agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia to re-establish diplomatic relations, a move that highlighted its diplomatic ambitions in West Asia. However, tensions between Tehran and Riyadh have since escalated. In the context of the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran, which began on February 28, Iran has launched attacks on Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries, further destabilising the region.
China has also consistently called for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a stance that resonates with many Arab nations. In 2023, shortly before the Hamas attack on Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza, Mr. Xi hosted Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and announced a "strategic partnership" with the Palestinian Authority.
Analysts view China's approach as an attempt to project soft power. Amr Hamzawy, director of the Carnegie Middle East Program, wrote earlier this year that "China continues to build up its soft power reserves while the United States self-sabotages its own stock." The comment, co-authored with Kathryn Selfe, a former fellow at the programme, reflects a certain perspective on the shifting dynamics.
Mr. Xi's engagements in Cairo are likely to focus on expanding trade, investment and regional co-operation. As West Asia undergoes rapid geopolitical change, China's role in the region is expected to remain a subject of international attention.
