Xi urges Middle East self-determination during Cairo visit
Chinese President Xi Jinping told Egyptian leaders that Middle Eastern peoples should manage their own affairs without external interference. He also expressed readiness to cooperate on maritime security amid the US-Iran conflict. The visit included agreements on an industrial zone at the Suez Canal.
Xi's Cairo stop marked his first Egyptian visit in ten years, underscoring Beijing's stepped-up engagement in a region strained by the six-month US-Iran conflict. The two leaders jointly urged diplomatic resolution of the war, while Egypt's presidency highlighted its "independent foreign policy" — a stance tested by recent US sanctions on an Emirati branch of Banque Misr.
The Suez Canal industrial zone agreement represents the third phase of a project already hosting roughly 200 companies with investments near $4 billion. China, a significant buyer of Iranian oil, has pledged to help secure international shipping lanes even as Washington threatens expanded sanctions that could affect Chinese banks.
This visit could reshape regional dynamics by offering Middle Eastern states an alternative to traditional US security guarantees, potentially altering their diplomatic calculations during the Iran conflict. Egypt's deepening economic ties with China may provide leverage in its dealings with Washington, while Beijing's growing presence in the Suez Canal zone could influence global trade security. Other regional powers may reassess their own partnerships, though the durability of Chinese commitments remains uncertain.