BEIJING: Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Egypt on Tuesday evening, making a rare trip to the Middle East as both countries face the threat of US sanctions over financial links to Iran.
The months-long Middle East war, which began when the United States and Israel jointly launched strikes against Iran on February 28, has thrown the crucial trade region into crisis.
Washington vowed last month to destabilise Tehran economically, warning of expanded sanctions against Tehran’s backers and partners that could hit Egyptian and Chinese banks, among others.
Xi’s visit “comes at a time when China’s economic interests are directly exposed to the US-Iran war”, said Gamal Salama, political science professor at Egypt’s Suez University.
China is “clearly seeking Egypt’s cooperation in managing and shaping regional affairs”, said Liu Jia, a research fellow at the Singapore-based Middle East Institute.
