▲ Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi (right) and Chinese President Xi Jinping (left) exchange greetings prior to a tour of the Grand Egyptian Museum in Giza, Egypt, on Wednesday, September 2, 2026.
Children wearing T-shirts printed with the face of Chinese President Xi Jinping stood in line at the international airport in the Egyptian capital of Cairo, waving the Chinese national flag, the Five-Starred Red Flag, and the Egyptian flag.
President Xi's visit to Egypt, his first in 10 years, concluded on the 2nd local time, kicking off with a grand welcome ceremony that seemed to reflect China's elevated status.
The visit, which took place amid the re-escalation of the Middle East conflict, is evaluated as demonstrating that China serves as an alternative "option" for Egypt, a long-standing security partner of the United States.
The U.S. daily The New York Times (NYT) analyzed on this day that President Xi particularly sought to project the image of China as a global superpower distinct from the West.
Meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi—whose country receives $1.3 billion, equivalent to more than 1.7 trillion won, in military aid from the U.S. annually—President Xi stated that China and Egypt are like brotherly nations with a shared history of fighting against imperialism.
He also expressed opposition to external interference in the Middle East, urging extra-regional powers to abandon double standards and respect the sovereignty and territorial integrity of countries in the region.
Ahead of his anticipated meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump later this month, President Xi has consecutively issued messages indirectly targeting the United States.
President el-Sisi likewise stated that the two countries firmly oppose the application of double standards in counterterrorism efforts.
Relations between China and Egypt are growing closer, with cooperation expanding beyond economic and trade exchanges into the technology and military sectors.
Bilateral trade volume has increased by 60% over the past decade, surpassing $20 billion (approx. 27 trillion won) last year.
During a joint military exercise between the two countries that began last month, China's mainstay J-16 fighter jets and Egyptian fighter jets engaged in simulated air combat.
Marking the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Egypt, the leaders of the two countries also adopted a "Joint Statement on Deepening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between China and Egypt," which specifies content on cooperation in data centers and semiconductor sectors.
The NYT pointed out that President Xi's visit to Egypt also aimed to show that even among nations under U.S. influence, there are allies of China.
Ding Long, a professor at the Middle East Studies Institute of Shanghai International Studies University in China, noted that at a time when U.S. allies are questioning American reliability as an alliance partner, it is natural for countries like Egypt to strengthen ties with China.
"You cannot put all your eggs in one basket and rely solely on the United States," he emphasized, adding, "In a situation where diversification is necessary, China is a very important partner."
Professor Ding added that the two countries are also cooperating in space-related ventures, including satellites.
Egypt and other Gulf region countries have sought to diversify their foreign relations over the past decade.
However, signs have not been detected indicating that China is expected to play a more proactive role regarding Egypt's military system.
Hisham A. Hellyer, a senior associate fellow at the British think tank Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), pointed out, "This is not about replacing the role of the United States," adding, "No country in the region that has built strong relations with the U.S. would want to abandon those relations."
(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)
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