Xi Urges Middle East to Oppose External Interference
Chinese President Xi Jinping visited Egypt on Wednesday. It was his first visit to Egypt in ten years.
Xi asked people across the Middle East to oppose outside interference. He said they should be "masters of their own affairs." He also urged the region to rethink its security setup.
China wants to expand its influence across the Middle East. Egypt has long been a security partner of the United States.
China wants deeper ties with Egypt and a bigger regional role. The visit also marks 70 years of Egypt-China relations.
It aims to strengthen political, economic and development ties. This builds on a partnership the two countries started in 2014.
Xi last visited Egypt in 2016. Since then China has invested billions of dollars in Egyptian projects. This includes Egypt's new administrative capital and a trade zone near the Suez Canal.
Key Terms 2
- Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone A trade area near the Suez Canal built with Chinese investment.
- external interference Outside countries getting involved in a region's affairs.