First Jordan, then Egypt: Xi Jinping’s search for a new MO in the Middle East

China's President Xi Jinping is set to visit Egypt, his first state visit in a decade, following an invitation to Jordan's King Abdullah II after an 11-year absence. This diplomatic push comes as Beijing seeks a new approach to the Middle East, moving beyond its previous strategy of maintaining economic ties without engaging in security. Egyptian analysts, like those from the Al-Ahram Center, link the timing to regional instability in Gaza, Sudan, Libya, and Red Sea security, which directly impacts China's trade costs and Egypt's Suez Canal revenues. China, a dominant trading partner in the region, has become increasingly vulnerable to instability, as evidenced by disruptions to maritime trade routes like the Strait of Hormuz. Israel views China's evolving role with both caution and opportunity, hoping for genuine efforts to protect maritime commerce and strengthen regional stability by confronting threats, rather than merely mediating. As one Egyptian analysis states, the timing is "exceptional, coming amid unprecedented geopolitical and security turmoil in the Arab system."