China’s Xi to visit Kyrgyzstan and Egypt as SCO summit and Middle East tensions loom

Chinese President Xi Jinping will visit Kyrgyzstan and Egypt from Aug. 30 to Sept. 3, Beijing announced Wednesday, a tour centered on the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek and high-level talks in Cairo.

At the SCO gathering, which brings together member states including Russia and Iran, Xi is expected to discuss deepening cooperation along with major international and regional issues. Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told reporters the summit would be a key part of the Kyrgyzstan leg, where Xi will also hold talks with President Sadyr Japarov and attend state events.

Xi will then travel to Egypt for talks with President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi. Lin said the discussions are aimed at "making a positive contribution to safeguarding peace and stability in the region." The visit marks Xi’s first to Egypt in 10 years, a milestone Lin described as holding "special significance" for bilateral ties.

The trip takes place as the United States and Iran remain locked in a standoff that has spilled across the Middle East and choked off shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting global oil flows. China has significant economic ties to the region, which was its top source of crude oil imports before the conflict.

For Beijing, the tour pairs two priorities: sustaining momentum within the SCO and safeguarding influence in a region critical to China’s energy security. It will be Xi’s second overseas trip this year, following a visit to North Korea in June.