ABSTRACT
This chapter probes the Chinese trade and investments in Egypt—a Middle Eastern regional power with an important and influential role in the Sunni axis and the Arab world. Cairo is also a long-standing traditional ally of Washington, pivotal in achieving broader US aims in the Middle East. In recent years, China and Egypt have elevated their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership that provides the political underpinnings of a new and growing commercial collaboration. This chapter examines the Chinese trade and investment ties with Egypt in the era of great power rivalry. Egypt is strategically located along with one of the world's major trading routes, making it a key player in China's expanding footprint in the Middle East. Moreover, Egypt has become one of the few indispensable regional partners in realizing China's Maritime Silk Road Initiative (MSRI), a key component of China's BRI. This development threatens to reduce America's sphere of influence in Cairo and challenges its regional dominance.
