Xi Jinping Visits Egypt, Signaling China's Growing Mideast Influence

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Cairo on September 1 for a three-day state visit, aiming to strengthen economic and diplomatic ties with Egypt. However, the visit is seen by Associated Press as part of a broader Chinese strategy to expand its influence in the Middle East and challenge U.S. dominance in the region.

Xi's visit, his first to Egypt in a decade and first to the Middle East since 2022, includes talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi and a planned visit to the Grand Egyptian Museum. China is positioning itself as a stabilizing force, contrasting its approach with decades of U.S. military involvement in regional conflicts. Analysts note China is accumulating "soft power" while the U.S. undermines its own standing.

Egypt, which joined the BRICS economic bloc in 2023 and has signed "Belt and Road" initiative agreements with China, sees closer ties with Beijing as a way to diversify its strategic partnerships beyond the West. China has invested over $10 billion in Egypt, with projects including a business center and an electric railway. Bilateral trade is estimated at $20 billion annually, surpassing Egypt's trade with the U.S.

Beyond economics, China has demonstrated its growing regional role by mediating the restoration of diplomatic ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia in 2023, though relations have since deteriorated. Beijing also advocates for a two-state solution in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and recently established a "strategic partnership" with the Palestinian Authority.

The Suez Canal, controlled by Egypt, is highlighted as a crucial alternative energy route, especially with disruptions through the Strait of Hormuz. China's deepening relationship with Egypt, including joint military exercises, is seen as a strategic move to secure access to this vital waterway and establish a foothold in the Arab and African worlds, particularly as U.S. attention to the region wanes. The visit follows Xi's attendance at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit, a bloc seen as a counterweight to U.S. influence.