Xi visits Egypt as China seeks deeper influence across the Mideast

China's President Xi Jinping visits Egypt this week for the first time in a decade. The trip illustrates China's growing ambitions at a time when U.S. influence has been weakened by its war in Iran.

<img src='https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/3527x2351+0+0/resize/3527x2351!/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2F48%2Fe9%2F473db85e4eb3a270c726a37cef83%2Fap26245491938108.jpg' alt='In this photo released by Xinhua News Agency, visiting Chinese President Xi Jinping, left, shakes hands with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi prior to their meeting in Cairo, Egypt, Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026.'/><p>China's President Xi Jinping visits Egypt this week for the first time in a decade. The trip illustrates China's growing ambitions at a time when U.S. influence has been weakened by its war in Iran.</p><p>(Image credit: Xie Huanchi)</p><img src='https://media.npr.org/include/images/tracking/npr-rss-pixel.png?story=nx-s1-5955295' />