Egypt Welcomes President Xi Jinping to Cairo as Ties Deepen
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to Cairo on Wednesday for a state visit aimed at strengthening the comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries.
Xi arrived at Cairo International Airport on Tuesday, September 1, where he was received by President el-Sisi and First Lady Entissar el-Sisi alongside his wife, Peng Liyuan. According to Egypt Today, the airport reception was marked by warmth, with children and youth carrying Egyptian and Chinese flags participating in the ceremony.
On Wednesday, September 2, an official military ceremony was held at the Ittihadiya presidential palace, Egyptian state television showed. National anthems were played, a guard of honour was inspected, and streets across the capital were decked with Chinese flags, portraits of both leaders, and banners reading “The land of Kinana welcomes Egypt’s guest, His Excellency President Xi Jinping.”
The visit is Xi’s first to Egypt in a decade and coincides with the 70th anniversary of Egypt-China diplomatic relations established in 1956. It is part of a wider international tour from September 1-3.
According to the Egyptian Presidency, talks at Ittihadiya Palace are focused on deepening political, economic and development cooperation and following up on implementation of the comprehensive strategic partnership signed in 2014 when el-Sisi first visited Beijing. Several agreements and memoranda of understanding are expected to be signed.
The trip highlights Cairo’s deepening ties with Beijing at a time of regional turmoil. Egypt, a major U.S. defence partner that receives about $1.3 billion annually in American military aid, has simultaneously expanded economic and military cooperation with China.
Growing military ties were on display last month during joint “Eagles of Civilization” exercises, which included a rare air combat drill involving Chinese-made J-16 jets and French-made Rafale aircraft operated by Egypt.
Egypt’s strategic location – home to the Suez Canal and more than 110 million people – makes it a key market and gateway for Beijing. Egyptian government data shows imports from China exceeded $10 billion in the first half of 2026, up over 14 percent year-on-year. Chinese firms have invested billions in Egypt in container ports, green hydrogen projects, car tyre and iron pipe manufacturing, satellites, and construction of the business district in Egypt’s New Administrative Capital east of Cairo by China State Construction Engineering Corporation.
Reuters quoted analysts saying Egypt offers Beijing a large domestic market, diplomatic weight on issues including Palestine, and connectivity to Africa, while Cairo seeks to widen its circle of relations with major powers as it reassesses longstanding security arrangements amid the ongoing upheaval in the Middle East. #Egypt Welcomes President Xi Jinping to Cairo as Ties Deepen# Egypt Launches Transition to Electric Vehicles
