China’s Xi urges against ‘external interference’ in Middle East in rare Egypt visit

Chinese President Xi Jinping urges Middle Eastern countries to oppose “external interference” and says Beijing is ready to work with regional states to safeguard maritime shipping, which has been jeopardized by the US-Iran war.

Xi’s remarks to his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, on his first visit to Cairo in a decade, come as Beijing seeks a greater foothold in the region, expanding investment while managing fallout from the six-month conflict.

“We must uphold the principle that the people of the Middle East are the masters of their own affairs, oppose external interference [and] support regional countries in strengthening dialogue on peace and security,” Xi says in a meeting with Sisi, according to Chinese state news agency Xinhua.

Xi was greeted by Sisi and a 21-gun salute at Cairo’s Ittihadiya presidential palace before holding talks that focused on the US-Iran conflict, with both leaders calling for “diplomatic solutions” and a “comprehensive agreement to end the war,” according to a statement from Sisi’s office.

Sisi’s office says the two countries signed an agreement to launch the third phase of the Egyptian-Chinese industrial zone at the Suez Canal, which officials say already hosts 200 companies and investments worth around $4 billion.

The new investments, for which Egypt has not announced a figure, give Beijing even greater influence in the canal zone, a critical artery of global trade, as conflict in the region chokes other conduits, including the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb.

Xi says China “stands ready to work with countries in the region to safeguard the security of international shipping lanes, advance development cooperation… and eliminate the breeding grounds for conflict.”