It’s been a decade in the making — and now it’s finally happening.

What’s happening?

China’s President Xi Jinping is jetting off to Cairo in the coming days for his first state visit to Egypt in 10 years, cbinews.tv reports.

And this isn’t just a courtesy call. He’s set to sit down with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi for big-picture talks on how to supercharge their strategic partnership.

On the agenda? Everything from trade and investment to defence, plus a frank exchange on those thorny international and regional issues where both countries have skin in the game.

Why now? The 70-year backstory

The timing is no coincidence. This month, Egypt and China are celebrating a whopping 70 years since they first established diplomatic relations back in May 1956.

For context, that makes Egypt the first Arab and African country to ever recognise the People’s Republic of China — a bold move by then-President Gamal Abdel Nasser at the height of the Cold War and the Non-Aligned Movement.

Things really shifted up a gear, though, in December 2014, during El-Sisi’s first official trip to Beijing. That’s when ties were formally elevated to what’s now called a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership — the highest level in China’s diplomatic playbook. Xi’s last state visit to Cairo was in January 2016, where he addressed the Arab League.

Since then, it’s been full steam ahead.

The money and muscle behind the handshake

Let’s talk numbers, because they’re telling.

According to Egypt’s Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade, bilateral trade hit around $19.52 billion in 2025, making China one of Egypt’s single largest trading partners. To put that in perspective, trade was less than $2 billion at the turn of the millennium.

And it’s not slowing down. Just last month, Egyptian firms inked 17 new export deals worth about $168 million with Chinese buyers — everything from oranges and textiles to minerals and engineering goods.

On the defence front, the relationship is getting visibly closer too. Earlier this month, the two air forces wrapped up ‘Eagles of Civilization 2026’ — a joint exercise held at Egyptian air bases. It’s a clear signal of how far military cooperation has come from basic arms sales to sophisticated joint drills.

In short, this isn’t just about nostalgia and anniversaries. It’s about cementing Egypt as China’s gateway to Africa and the Middle East under the Belt and Road Initiative, and for Cairo, securing investment and leverage as it navigates a tricky global economy.

We’ll be watching Cairo closely.

Source: cbinews.tv

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