Xi Jinping says China and Egypt should "expand the scope of pragmatic collaboration" in Cairo essays

Xi Jinping made his first trip to Egypt in about a decade, meeting President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi in Cairo as the two countries celebrated 70 years of diplomatic relations. In essays carried by Egyptian state newspapers, the Chinese leader called for a wider development-centered partnership between Beijing and Cairo. The visit comes as China, Washington’s chief global competitor, seeks a larger role in the Middle East while the United States, a longtime Egyptian security partner, is engaged in a six-month war with Iran. Egypt has worked to broaden its alliances, joining the BRICS bloc and cooperating with China’s Belt and Road infrastructure initiative. Chinese investment in Egypt has surpassed $10 billion, with annual bilateral trade around $20 billion, according to government figures.