Chinese Premier Li Qiang‘s arrival in Egypt on Wednesday marks a major step in Beijing’s effort to spice up its partnership with Cairo, a longtime American ally and one of many area’s most influential gamers.
China introduced the two-day go to final week, noting that “under the strategic guidance of the two countries’ leaders, the bilateral relationship has flourished, political mutual trust has been deepened and practical cooperation in various fields has yielded fruitful results.”
This is a uncommon and symbolic go to of a Chinese chief to the area, Andrea Ghiselli, a lecturer on the University of Exeter and head of analysis on the TOChina Hub’s ChinaMed Project, advised Anadolu.
Ghiselli and different analysts see the journey as a key step in deepening ties throughout protection, commerce, know-how, and infrastructure improvement.
“China certainly is trying to seize the moment of uncertainty in Washington’s relationship with Cairo under the second Trump administration to deepen and expand its ties,” William Yang, senior Northeast Asia analyst on the International Crisis Group, advised Anadolu.
The two international locations have held a number of high-level conferences in recent times, together with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s state go to to Beijing final May, when he additionally attended the China-Arab States Cooperation Forum.
Yang added that more and more frequent exchanges are injecting momentum right into a relationship that “clearly contains strategic importance to China’s efforts to increase its presence and influence in North Africa.”
“The region is tired of the West, and the West is also tired of the region because of endless wars,” added Ghiselli.
– Military cooperation features floor
A central pillar of the rising Beijing-Cairo partnership is protection cooperation, with China steadily advancing into an area lengthy dominated by Western powers.
Li’s go to coincides with stories that Cairo has deployed China’s HQ-9B air protection system, an indication of Egypt shifting away from its conventional reliance on American army help.
Multiple media retailers report that Egypt acquired the long-range surface-to-air missile system to counter short-range ballistic missiles, fighter jets, and cruise missiles.
Military ties have notably deepened, with Chinese and Egyptian air forces holding their first joint drill this April. Dubbed “Eagles of Civilization 2025,” the train happened at an Egyptian air base. China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force deployed J-10C fighter jets, YU-20 aerial tankers, and KJ-500 early warning plane alongside Egypt’s MiG-29s.
During the 18-day train, the South China Morning Post reported an Egyptian pilot flying a J-10 jet, reigniting hypothesis a couple of potential sale to Egypt. “The growing number of military drills that China conducts with Egypt is a very important indicator that China thinks it is prepared and ready to put more emphasis on the security aspect of its relationship with regional countries,” stated Yang.
Ghiselli added that China’s army know-how gained visibility throughout latest India-Pakistan clashes, the place Pakistani forces used Chinese methods.
Beyond drones, “air defenses and jet fighters are all part of the discussions,” he stated.
– TRADE AND INVESTMENT SURGE
China ranks amongst Egypt’s high industrial companions, with bilateral commerce hovering round $14 billion yearly.
Data from the Observatory of Economic Complexity exhibits that in May 2025, China exported $1.63 billion to Egypt and imported $78.8 million, leaving a commerce surplus of $1.55 billion.
Between May 2024 and May 2025, Chinese exports to Egypt rose by $247 million-a 17.9% increase-while imports climbed by 63.4% to $78.8 million.
Egypt can also be rising as a key vacation spot for Chinese funding within the area. The Suez Canal Economic Zone (SCZone), central to Egypt’s improvement technique, has attracted greater than $8 billion in reported Chinese funding.
Yang notes that Egyptian management of the Suez Canal-a essential waterway for world trade-is another excuse why Beijing desires to grab the second of American volatility to extend bilateral ties.
He added that North Africa is a key node in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), given the area’s location and proximity to Europe through the Mediterranean. Egypt’s Vision 2030 financial plan is carefully linked to the initiative.
Last yr, the 2 sides marked a “golden decade” of their complete strategic partnership.
– LONG-STANDING TIES, SHIFTING ALLIIANCES
Egypt was the primary Arab and African nation to acknowledge and set up diplomatic ties with China in 1956, a mirrored image of the long-standing and strategic nature of their relationship.
“Egypt has always been seen by China as a very important player in the region exactly because of its geographical position, the Suez Canal, and of course, because it’s both a Middle Eastern and an African country,” Ghiselli stated.
He added that Egypt’s significance goes past economics, notably amid regional conflicts akin to Israel’s genocidal struggle on Gaza.
On China’s diplomacy within the Middle East and North Africa, Ghiselli stated there are international locations Beijing would like to see cooperating extra carefully, together with Egypt and Ethiopia.
“Media suggest that both Ethiopia and Egypt have tried to pull China on their side over the Nile River issue. I don’t think China would like to prefer one over the other,” he stated, suggesting that China’s present strategy is broader, extra reactive, and geared toward avoiding entanglement in regional disputes.
Ghiselli stated North African international locations like Egypt are deepening ties with China not solely as a consequence of “Western fatigue or declining influence,” but additionally as a result of they view Beijing as an more and more enticing accomplice.
China has loads to supply, he stated, together with diplomatic help on the UN Security Council and financial help.
He highlighted a rising push throughout the Middle East, together with in Egypt, for a inexperienced transformation, an space the place China leads by means of its dominance in photo voltaic and different renewable applied sciences.
“China is both a competitor and a partner … China offers not just products that you buy in the shop, but also technology and investment-all things that are very attractive,” he stated.
Source: www.anews.com.tr