China's Xi Calls for New Middle East Security Order

Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged Middle Eastern countries to take greater control of their own security affairs and resist outside interference, as Beijing seeks to deepen its influence across the region.

Xi made the comments during talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi in Cairo on Wednesday, his first visit to Egypt in a decade. The trip comes amid the ongoing US-Israel war with Iran and growing uncertainty over the future of regional security arrangements.

"We must uphold the principle that the people of the Middle East are the masters of their own affairs," Xi said, according to China's state-run Xinhua news agency. He called on regional countries to oppose external interference and strengthen dialogue aimed at promoting peace and security.

Xi was formally welcomed by Sisi at the Ittihadiya presidential palace, where the Chinese leader received a 21-gun salute before the two presidents began their discussions.

The meeting focused heavily on the six-month conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran. According to a statement from Sisi's spokesperson, both leaders called for diplomatic efforts to achieve a comprehensive agreement that would bring the war to an end.

The two countries also agreed to launch the third phase of an Egyptian-Chinese industrial zone located near the Suez Canal. Egyptian officials said the zone already accommodates about 200 companies and represents approximately $4 billion in investment.

No financial figure was announced for the latest phase, but the agreement is expected to further strengthen China's economic presence around the Suez Canal, one of the world's most important trade routes.

The canal has taken on added strategic significance as conflict elsewhere in the region disrupts shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait.

Xi said China was prepared to cooperate with regional countries to protect international shipping routes, expand development projects and address the underlying causes of conflict.

Egypt and China also signed several additional agreements, although Egyptian officials did not immediately disclose details.

Beijing expands Middle East influence

Xi's visit reflects China's broader effort to strengthen its diplomatic and economic position in the Middle East.

Beijing regards Egypt as a strategically important partner and a potential gateway to wider regional influence. For Cairo, closer relations with China form part of an effort to diversify its international partnerships and avoid excessive dependence on any single major power.

The diplomatic push comes ahead of an expected meeting between Xi and US President Donald Trump later this month.

Egypt remains a major US strategic partner and receives about $1.3 billion annually in US military assistance. Cairo has also traditionally played an important role in mediating conflicts across the Middle East.

China's outreach comes as some US allies in the region reassess their long-standing security relationships with Washington following the escalation of the conflict with Iran.

Last month, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed the Mecca Defence Alliance, signalling a growing interest among regional powers in developing additional security arrangements.

The agreement includes a NATO-style mutual defence provision under which an armed attack against one member would be regarded as an attack against all three.

Officials from Turkey, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have nevertheless stressed that the new alliance is not intended to replace their existing security agreements.

Xi's call for a Middle East security framework led by regional countries therefore comes at a time of significant geopolitical change, with traditional alliances being tested and China positioning itself as an increasingly influential economic and diplomatic power.