Xi Jinping to Visit Kyrgyzstan and Egypt for SCO Summit and State Visits

Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Bishkek as part of a state visit to Kyrgyzstan, before travelling to Egypt on a trip from August 30 to September 3, according to Beijing's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The tour, announced on Wednesday, will be Xi's second overseas trip this year, following a visit to North Korea in June, and includes state visits to both Kyrgyzstan and Egypt. The trip is Xi's first state visit to Egypt in 10 years.

SCO Summit and Talks in Kyrgyzstan

At the SCO summit, which will be attended by member states including Russia and Iran, Xi will discuss deepening cooperation as well as major international and regional issues, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian told a daily news conference. The Chinese president will also hold talks with his Kyrgyz counterpart, Sadyr Japarov, and attend various state events during the trip, Lin said.

Egypt Visit and Strategic Partnership

In Egypt, Xi will meet President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi for talks aimed at "making a positive contribution to safeguarding peace and stability in the region," Lin said. The state visit, Xi's first to Egypt in 10 years, "holds special significance for the development of bilateral ties," he added.

The visit comes as Egypt and China mark 70 years since establishing diplomatic relations in May 1956. Relations were elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership during el-Sisi's first official visit to China in December 2014.

Economic and defense cooperation have expanded in recent years. Egyptian companies signed 17 export contracts worth about $168 million with Chinese buyers last month, covering agricultural products, textiles, minerals, and engineering goods. The two countries also held a joint air exercise, Eagles of Civilization 2026, at Egyptian air bases earlier this month. Egypt's Ministry of Investment and Foreign Trade put bilateral trade at about $19.52 billion in 2025, describing China as one of the country's largest trading partners.

Regional Context

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