China's Xi urges against Mideast interference in rare Egypt visit

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Chinese President Xi Jinping urged countries to oppose external interference in the Middle East during his visit to Egypt, emphasizing China's readiness to cooperate with regional states to protect maritime shipping amid the US-Iran conflict. His visit marks a push to strengthen Beijing's influence and investment in the region.

Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday urged countries to oppose "external interference" in the Middle East and said Beijing was ready to work with regional states to safeguard maritime shipping, jeopardised by the US-Iran war. Xi's remarks to his Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, on his first visit to Cairo in a decade, come as Beijing seeks a greater foothold in the region, expanding investment while managing fallout from the war.