Xi Jinping said regional nations, Jordan included, should have "sovereignty and security" respected

Chinese leader Xi Jinping arrived in Egypt on Sept. 1 for his first visit in a decade, as the two countries mark 70 years of diplomatic ties. The trip comes during a Middle East war that began with U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in late February, and after Washington warned of expanded sanctions against countries, including Egypt and China, with financial links to Tehran. Beijing, a major buyer of Iranian oil, has cast itself as neutral and called for a durable ceasefire. The visit follows Xi’s August meeting in Beijing with Jordan’s King Abdullah II, where he said countries in the region, including Jordan, should have their independence and safety respected. Xi will meet Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi on Sept. 2; talks are expected to cover Gaza, Iran, and shipping in the Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz.