Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Egypt for the first time in a decade, stating that Middle Eastern countries must be "masters of their own destiny" and explore a new regional "security architecture." During his visit to Cairo, Xi called on the "great powers" to respect the region's sovereignty.
Xi's visit comes at a time when Beijing seeks to expand its influence over a traditional US security partner, in a region ravaged by war. The trip precedes a planned meeting with US President Donald Trump later this month.
On the occasion, Xi and his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, agreed to expand investment in the Suez Canal Economic Zone and signed cooperation agreements in artificial intelligence, trade, and supply chains, among other economic areas.
