The Egyptian presidency announced that Xi Jinping will make an official visit to Egypt in the coming days, during which he will meet with President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to discuss strengthening the strategic partnership between the two countries, in addition to exchanging visions on a number of regional and international files. The visit coincides with the 70th anniversary of the establishment of Egyptian-Chinese diplomatic relations.
In Israel, the visit received remarkable attention in some media platforms and research circles, not as just a diplomatic occasion between Cairo and Beijing, but rather within the framework of a broader reading of the path of Chinese penetration in the Middle East.
Under the title, “The new axis is strengthening: China and Egypt deepen cooperation... Is Israel paying attention?” The Israeli “MS” platform reviewed the Mashgab Institute and focused on the increasing cooperation between Cairo and Beijing, noting that the anticipated visit comes after a series of rapprochement steps, including joint military exercises and technological cooperation.
The coverage indicated that China and Egypt conducted joint air exercises in a development that the review described as carrying strategic importance beyond traditional military cooperation, in conjunction with the discussion of technological deals and projects, including an offer from Huawei to supply Egyptian government agencies with about 2,000 specialized chips for cloud computing and artificial intelligence.
The Israeli "Rotter" platform also monitored the news of the visit and focused on its political timing, considering that it comes in light of what it described as the distance between Cairo and Washington and the growing Egyptian-Chinese relations. The comments accompanying the news showed a special Israeli interest in Chinese-Egyptian cooperation in the military and economic fields, and in the role that the Suez Canal can play in Chinese calculations.
This reading is of particular importance for Israel because of the geographical and strategic location of Egypt, which controls the Suez Canal and constitutes one of the main military and political powers in the Middle East, in addition to its direct borders with Israel and its pivotal role in the Gaza, Red Sea and regional security issues.
Broader Israeli analyzes indicate that Beijing views Egypt as an important strategic point linking Asia, Europe, and Africa, due to the Suez Canal and its location on global trade routes, which makes deepening Chinese cooperation with Cairo have dimensions that go beyond investment and trade.
The Israeli Institute for National Security Studies also believes that the location of Egypt and Israel within the network of trade corridors and regional infrastructure gives China special importance in the region.
Israeli interest in China is not only related to its relations with Egypt, but rather to the increasing growth of the Chinese presence in the Middle East in general, as Beijing has become a more present economic and political party in the region, while Israel views with caution the shift of the Chinese role from investments and infrastructure to issues of technology, security, and regional balances.
The historical background indicates that Egyptian-Chinese relations extend over seven decades, and Egypt was the first Arab and African country to establish diplomatic relations with the People’s Republic of China in 1956.
Relations rose to a strategic partnership in 1999 and then to a comprehensive strategic partnership in 2014, before witnessing a significant expansion in infrastructure, investment, energy and technology projects.
For the Israeli side, Xi Jinping's first visit to Egypt since 2016 appears to be part of a broader path that is not limited to the economy, but rather includes military and technological cooperation and strengthening the Chinese presence in one of the most sensitive areas for Israel.
