Cairo (AFP) – Chinese President Xi Jinping, on the occasion of his first visit to Egypt in ten years, warned on Wednesday against “external interference” in the Middle East, as the region plunges once again into war.

Published on: 02/09/2026 - 16:29Modified on: 02/09/2026 - 19:00

The conflict was at the heart of discussions at Al-Ittihadiya Palace in Cairo, with Xi Jinping and his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi calling for "diplomatic solutions" to put a lasting end to the hostilities triggered by the American-Israeli offensive on Iran at the end of February.

“We must uphold the principle that the people of the Middle East are masters of their own affairs, oppose external interference (...),” declared Mr. Xi, whose remarks were reported by the official Xinhua news agency.

He also said he was ready to work with countries in the region to ensure the security of navigation, shaken by regular attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz, strategic for global hydrocarbon trade.

Suez Canal

Egypt rolled out the red carpet for Xi Jinping, who took advantage of this visit carrying financial promises to visit the Grand Egyptian Museum near the pyramids of Giza.

Across the megacity of more than 26 million inhabitants, the main avenues were decorated with Chinese and Egyptian flags, as well as billboards showing the two presidents or boasting of "generations of Egyptian-Chinese friendship flowing like the Nile".

The two countries notably signed an agreement launching the third phase of the Egyptian-Chinese industrial zone, which already hosts 200 companies and represents around four billion dollars of investments, according to the authorities.

This announcement, the financial details of which have not been revealed, will allow Beijing to further strengthen its presence in the Suez Canal zone, while the war between the United States and Iran threatens global maritime trade.

A series of additional agreements were signed in the industrial, transport and technology sectors, with the two countries notably announcing extensive cooperation in the field of data centers.

The visit of the Chinese president comes at a time when Washington is increasing its pressure on Iran's trading partners.

Beijing, Tehran's major partner, is on the front line and seeks support from Cairo, whose banks are also targeted.

Last week, the US Treasury announced sanctions against the Emirati branch of Egypt's second largest bank, Banque Misr, accused of participating in financial exchanges with Tehran.

Strategic autonomy

As part of its offensive, Washington vowed last month to suffocate Iran's economy, threatening to expand its sanctions, which could also hit Chinese banks.

China, a major buyer of Iranian oil, has promised to defend its interests.

Ahead of a reported meeting between Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump later in September, Beijing is also seeking to strengthen ties with regional countries close to Washington.

However, Egypt is one of the largest beneficiaries of American military aid and a key historical mediator in the Middle East.

According to analysts, Cairo intends to use this visit to highlight its strategic autonomy, by showing that it can benefit from its close relations with both Washington and Beijing.

"Partners"

Abdel Fattah al-Sissi, in a text published Tuesday in the Egyptian media, praised his "independent foreign policy." He also assured that these two members of the Brics were “partners” to “strengthen the role of the Global South” in an increasingly polarized world.

Chinese investments already play a key role in President Sissi's major projects: they have financed the financial and business district, studded with skyscrapers, in the new administrative capital located 50 km east of Cairo.

Beijing is a major exporter to Egypt, with a trade surplus reaching $12 billion over the first seven months of 2026, according to Chinese customs.

The two countries are also linked by their military cooperation: Egypt, which, under the Sissi administration, became one of the largest arms purchasing countries in the world, hosted major joint air combat exercises with the Chinese army in August, featuring the powerful J-16 fighter.

burs-bha/anb/mdh/cgo

© 2026 AFP

The content you are trying to access does not exist or is no longer available.