Egypt Joins Hands with China to Counter US-Israel

Egypt, whose relations with the US and Israel are currently strained due to the Gaza war, is now compelled to begin collaborating with China. This step is taken in an effort to balance the hegemony of US-Israeli military power.

Egypt will conduct joint military exercises with China for the first time in April and May 2025. The Chinese military on Monday, May 5, 2025, for the first time released its fighter jets flying in the skies of Egypt.

The joint military exercise between China and Egypt indicates a shift in the landscape of partnership dynamics in the Middle East. Egypt, which for several decades has been recognized as a strategic partner of the United States in military and security matters, is now beginning to turn towards China.

Recently, Egypt has also begun purchasing its defense equipment from China, in an effort to reduce its dependence on the United States. In October 2024, Egypt unexpectedly announced the acquisition of the latest Chinese-made fighter jet, the J-10 C.

Egypt is the second country after Pakistan to receive J-10C fighter jets from China.

The sophistication of the Chinese-made fighter jet, J-10 C, has now been tested, following reports that the J-10 C belonging to Pakistan successfully shot down 5 Indian fighter jets, which included Russian-made MiG and Su-30, as well as French-made Rafale, in aerial combat over the skies of Kashmir on Wednesday, May 7, 2025.

For a long time, the backbone of the Egyptian Air Force has been the American-made F-16 C fighter jets and the French-made Mirage 2000. Egypt is also negotiating with Russia and France to acquire MiG-29s and Su-35s from Russia, as well as Rafale fighter jets from France as part of its air force modernization program.

In early April 2025, Egypt also announced the deployment of the most advanced Chinese-made air defense system, the HQ-9B. The sophistication of the HQ-9B is described as being on par with the most advanced Russian-made air defense system, the S-400.

For Egypt, possessing an advanced air defense system such as the HQ-9B is extremely important, after witnessing advanced Israeli fighter jets arbitrarily flying and bombing Lebanon, Yemen, Syria, and Iran without any retaliation.

Iran, which possesses a sophisticated Russian-made air defense system, the S-300, was unable to withstand a massive airstrike by Israel against Iran at the end of October 2024. Learning from Iran's experience, Egypt hastened to acquire a more advanced air defense system than the S-300, which was subsequently obtained from China, namely the HQ-9B.

Egypt's advanced air defense system is now on par with Turkey's, which possesses the most sophisticated Russian-made air defense system, the S-400, to counter advanced Israeli fighter jets such as the F-35. Egypt also announced the purchase of advanced long-range air-to-air missiles from China, the HD-1A, which are planned to be installed on the French-made Rafale fighter jets recently acquired by Egypt, as well as the J-10 C. The HD-1A has a firing range of up to 290 kilometers.

Egyptian fighter jets equipped with HD-1A can strike enemy targets from a distance without having to enter enemy territory. This capability was learned by Egypt from Israeli fighter jets, which, when attacking Iran at the end of October 2024, were able to remain in Iraqi airspace and fire at targets in Iran from within Iraq.

This is what prevents Iran's S-300 from reaching the position of Israeli fighter jets, which are indeed far from Iranian airspace. Egypt also announced plans to purchase Chinese-made drones, Wing Loong, and K-8E training aircraft.

The Egyptian movement has chosen China as a new supply source for its modernization process, finding momentum after the outbreak of the Gaza war, which gave rise to the idea from US President Donald Trump regarding the relocation of 2.3 million Gaza residents to Egypt and Jordan. Egypt, which strongly opposes the idea of relocating Gaza residents, is facing various pressures and threats from the US.

President Trump frequently threatened to reduce the permanent aid from the United States, which currently amounts to 1.3 billion dollars per year to Egypt, if Cairo continues to reject the relocation project for Gaza residents. This permanent aid, which is mostly military assistance, has been received by Egypt since the Israel-Egypt peace agreement at Camp David in 1979.

Uncomfortable with this situation, Egypt has chosen to turn to China, including for its defense equipment supply sources. Egypt and the Arab world certainly hope that Chinese military technology continues to develop, so it can serve as a new support in facing the hegemony of Israel, which receives unlimited defense equipment supplies from the United States.

Conversely, China, which is currently engaged in a fierce trade war with the United States, is finding momentum through Egypt as a foothold to expand its military influence in the Middle East.

If the military collaboration between China and Egypt continues to develop, it is not impossible that in the coming years, China could compete with the United States in military strength in the Middle East.

China currently has only one military base in the Middle East and Africa region, namely in Djibouti.*