Xi lashes out at US in Egypt, urges new Middle East security order | Today’s news
During his visit to Egypt, Xi urged Middle Eastern countries to consider building a new security order without outside interference, refining language the Chinese leader had previously used to support a realignment from the US.
“People in the Middle East should be masters of their own affairs,” Xi Jinping said during a meeting with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in Cairo on Wednesday, according to an official statement from the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
In a veiled jab at the US, Xi also said China would support efforts in the Middle East aimed at “reshaping the security architecture in the region”.
The call amplifies the rhetoric Xi has used in the past. The approach outlined by the Chinese leader echoes views increasingly expressed in state media by Chinese academics, who say the Iran war is shaking confidence in the US-led order and accelerating efforts in the region to develop security measures less dependent on Washington.
Xi’s return to Egypt after a decade comes as some countries in the Middle East are already becoming more skeptical of Washington’s guarantees, giving the world’s second-largest economy an opportunity to deepen its influence. Last month, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan signed a mutual defense pact that created a new framework for cooperation that can be expanded to include countries such as Egypt.
During the talks with Sisi, the Chinese leader’s support for national autonomy was outlined in a four-point initiative, which the statement said included calling on major powers outside the region to “drop the double standard”.
Si also said the United Nations should play a bigger role in regional affairs and that Beijing is willing to work with countries in the region to protect international sea lanes and promote development. As for Palestine, he said the issue remains at the heart of problems in the Middle East and “should never be ignored or marginalized.”
Egypt is a major recipient of US military and foreign aid. Washington and Beijing are currently preparing for a summit between Xi Jinping and US President Donald Trump later this month, with the two sides maintaining a fragile tariff truce that will expire in November if not extended.
Sisi separately announced an agreement to launch the third phase of the expansion of the China-Egypt industrial area in the Suez Canal Economic Zone, which includes sectors including renewable energy, car manufacturing, textiles and chemical fibers, according to the Egyptian presidency.
China and Egypt have agreed to deepen cooperation in areas including green energy, electric vehicles, aviation and the digital economy, according to Xinhua.
Xi and Sisi also witnessed the signing of agreements on the Belt and Road Initiative, artificial intelligence and trade and supply chains. In total, more than 20 cooperation documents were signed, Xinhua reported.
China has played a key role in some of Egypt’s major infrastructure projects. While Cairo has sought to maintain close ties with both Beijing and Washington, China is a major trading partner, with bilateral trade growing substantially since Xi’s previous visit in 2016.
Before departing Wednesday, Sisi and his wife Peng Liyuan also joined Sisi and Egypt’s first lady in visiting the recently opened Grand Egyptian Museum near Cairo, China’s foreign ministry said.
With help from Michael Gunn.
This article was generated from an automated news agency source without text modification.
