Xi calls for a new Middle East security framework during Egypt visit

Xi Jinping arrived in Cairo with a message that the Middle East should rethink its security order and resist outside interference. The Chinese president made the appeal during his first visit to the region in four years.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi welcomed Xi with a military ceremony. The visit comes during the US-Israeli war against Iran, a conflict that has disrupted trade, shaken economies and led governments across the region to reconsider their strategic relationships.

Beijing is seeking to expand its influence as Washington’s long-term role faces renewed questions among US partners. Egypt remains a major US defence partner and receives about $1.3 billion a year in military aid from Washington.

At the same time, Cairo has steadily increased economic and military cooperation with China. Xi’s visit therefore places the two relationships in the same frame: Egypt continues its established defence partnership with the United States while deepening engagement with Beijing as regional tensions reshape calculations about security and influence.