Chinese President Xi Jinping has arrived in Cairo for his first visit to Egypt since 2016, coinciding with the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi received Xi on Tuesday, having made eight visits to China since taking office in 2014.
Presidential spokesman Ambassador Mohamed el-Shennawy said Xi's visit aims to strengthen bilateral relations and follow up on the implementation of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership Agreement signed in 2014. The visit will also include consultations on regional and international issues of mutual interest.
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs last week described relations with Egypt as being at their best state in history, with Xi's visit expected to set the direction for future ties. Trade relations appear robust: China is Egypt's largest trading partner in non-petroleum goods, with bilateral trade reaching nearly $20.7 billion by the end of 2025, according to the State Information Service (SIS). Data from the Central Agency for Public Mobilisation and Statistics (CAPMAS) shows a nearly 200 percent increase in Egyptian exports to China, reaching $840.8 million in the first half of 2026, while imports stood at $10.4 billion.
Chinese investments in Egypt are concentrated in the Suez Canal area, a key passage for trade between China and Europe. The China-Egypt TEDA cooperation zone in Ain Sokhna, part of Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative, hosts about 200 companies with investments exceeding $3.8 billion, according to state media.
In an article published by Al-Ahram newspaper on Monday, el-Sisi wrote that steps are being taken to deepen these ties. He also touched on tensions with Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), thanking Beijing for its solidarity. He noted that China recognizes the vital importance of the Nile River to Egypt and reiterates the importance of refraining from unilateral measures.
The summit unfolds against a backdrop of intense regional instability, driven by the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the six-month US-Israel war on Iran. In his own published article, Xi said China and Egypt share a joint vision for global stability and highlighted the resilience of their historical ties. He emphasized both sides' support for the Palestinian people's legitimate national rights and commitment to facilitating political settlement of hotspot issues.
The joint Egypt-China 'Eagles of Civilisation' air exercises, which began on August 22 in Egypt, aim to demonstrate the Chinese Air Force's capability to operate far from its borders.
Source: www.aljazeera.com