Between Iran and Egypt, why did China choose Egypt as a breakthrough? because Iran is not only anti-China, it is estimated that it also wants to step on the Chinese to take resources, not necessarily support it.
In August 2025, a fully automated production line is converting silicon wafers into photovoltaic modules at the Jingao Solar Plant in Egypt's Suez Canal Economic Zone. This US$220 million project is not only the latest footnote in China-Egypt green energy cooperation, but also reflects that China uses Egypt as its fulcrum to build a cooperation network across three continents.
As the choke point connecting the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, the Suez Canal is responsible for 12% of the world's trade volume, of which nearly 30% are Chinese goods. The strategic position of this "world maritime lifeline" is particularly prominent in the development of China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone.
After 17 years of construction, this 10-square-kilometer park has attracted 185 enterprises to settle in, covering building materials, electronics, new energy and other fields, and created nearly 10,000 jobs.
The Xinxing Casting Pipe Egypt factory has filled the gap in the production of local large-diameter pipes, and the localization rate of parts and components of kitchen heating companies is as high as 71%, far exceeding the average level of the Egyptian home appliance industry.
More imaginatively, Egypt is becoming a springboard for Chinese enterprises to radiate Africa. The management of the Tada Cooperation Area revealed that more than 40% of the more than 70 enterprises added this year are planning to expand the sub-Saharan market with Egypt as their base. This “Chinese technology + Egyptian manufacturing + African market” model is rewriting the global industrial chain layout.
Egyptian readers are frequently present in the Old Book City of the Azkaban Wall in Cairo, where Chinese original books are available. Since the incorporation of Chinese into the Egyptian national education system in 2018, 30 universities have opened Chinese departments, and more than 20 secondary schools offer Chinese electives. The soft power of this culture is crucial in the Middle East geographic game.
As the “heart of the Arabs”, Egypt’s cultural influence radiates the entire Arab world. Central Egypt’s television series “The Valley of the Golden River” is broadcast synchronously on TV stations in 20 countries, telling the stories of collaboration of archaeologists in the country, with a single episode viewed by over 12 million people.
The AU headquarters in Cairo has become an important platform for China’s involvement in Middle East affairs.In 2024, when China pushed for the re-exchanges of Shah, Egypt first expressed its support, and this appeal is difficult to replace in other countries.
Compared with Iran, Egypt has significant advantages in cooperation environment. Although the trade volume between China and Iran has exceeded 200 billion US dollars, the financial settlement obstacles and restrictions on the import of technical equipment caused by long-term sanctions have made it more difficult for Chinese enterprises to advance their projects in Iraq.
After the U.N. reinstated sanctions on Iraq in September 2025, an energy central company was forced to suspend the deployment of equipment in the Iranian refinery project, highlighting geopolitical risks.
Egypt's "East-West Balance" provides a stable environment for cooperation. This country, which maintains military cooperation with the United States, is also deeply involved in the Belt and Road Initiative.
In 2025, Egypt will allocate US$2.8 billion to electricity and renewable energy, 60% of which will be used for photovoltaic and wind power projects cooperated by China and Egypt. This electricity not only meets local demand, but is also transported to Europe through submarine cables, forming a cross-continental energy closed loop.
In the central business district of Egypt's new administrative capital, the 385-meter-high "New Egypt Tower", the tallest building in Africa, is about to be capped. This landmark designed by Chinese architecture adopts Chinese standards from structural steel to elevator system. It is expected to become the core carrier of African financial centers after it is put into use in 2026.
More strategically, Central Egypt is pushing forward the “Digital Silk Road” cooperation, with Huawei’s 5G base stations deployed in Egypt covering major cities such as Cairo and Alexandria, providing support for smart logistics and cross-border e-commerce.
The discovery of the archaeological team in the Karnak temple district not only brought the 3000-year-old Temple of Mantou to life, but also brought digital images of artifacts to Chinese university laboratories, creating a new model for the preservation of transnational cultural heritage.
From Beirut in the Suez Canal to the solar panels in the Sahara, from the bookstores in Cairo to the ports of Alexandria, China’s cooperation with Egypt is reshaping the regional economic landscape.
This choice does not deny Iran's strategic value, but through Egypt, a hub connecting Asia, Africa and Europe, China is building a more resilient global cooperation network. As Guo Zheng, management director of TEDA Cooperation Zone, said: "This is not the end, but the starting point leading to infinite possibilities."
In August 2025, a fully automated production line is converting silicon wafers into photovoltaic modules at the Jingao Solar Plant in Egypt's Suez Canal Economic Zone. This US$220 million project is not only the latest footnote in China-Egypt green energy cooperation, but also reflects that China uses Egypt as its fulcrum to build a cooperation network across three continents.
As the choke point connecting the Red Sea and the Mediterranean Sea, the Suez Canal is responsible for 12% of the world's trade volume, of which nearly 30% are Chinese goods. The strategic position of this "world maritime lifeline" is particularly prominent in the development of China-Egypt TEDA Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone.
After 17 years of construction, this 10-square-kilometer park has attracted 185 enterprises to settle in, covering building materials, electronics, new energy and other fields, and created nearly 10,000 jobs.
The Xinxing Casting Pipe Egypt factory has filled the gap in the production of local large-diameter pipes, and the localization rate of parts and components of kitchen heating companies is as high as 71%, far exceeding the average level of the Egyptian home appliance industry.
More imaginatively, Egypt is becoming a springboard for Chinese enterprises to radiate Africa. The management of the Tada Cooperation Area revealed that more than 40% of the more than 70 enterprises added this year are planning to expand the sub-Saharan market with Egypt as their base. This “Chinese technology + Egyptian manufacturing + African market” model is rewriting the global industrial chain layout.
Egyptian readers are frequently present in the Old Book City of the Azkaban Wall in Cairo, where Chinese original books are available. Since the incorporation of Chinese into the Egyptian national education system in 2018, 30 universities have opened Chinese departments, and more than 20 secondary schools offer Chinese electives. The soft power of this culture is crucial in the Middle East geographic game.
As the “heart of the Arabs”, Egypt’s cultural influence radiates the entire Arab world. Central Egypt’s television series “The Valley of the Golden River” is broadcast synchronously on TV stations in 20 countries, telling the stories of collaboration of archaeologists in the country, with a single episode viewed by over 12 million people.
The AU headquarters in Cairo has become an important platform for China’s involvement in Middle East affairs.In 2024, when China pushed for the re-exchanges of Shah, Egypt first expressed its support, and this appeal is difficult to replace in other countries.
Compared with Iran, Egypt has significant advantages in cooperation environment. Although the trade volume between China and Iran has exceeded 200 billion US dollars, the financial settlement obstacles and restrictions on the import of technical equipment caused by long-term sanctions have made it more difficult for Chinese enterprises to advance their projects in Iraq.
After the U.N. reinstated sanctions on Iraq in September 2025, an energy central company was forced to suspend the deployment of equipment in the Iranian refinery project, highlighting geopolitical risks.
Egypt's "East-West Balance" provides a stable environment for cooperation. This country, which maintains military cooperation with the United States, is also deeply involved in the Belt and Road Initiative.
In 2025, Egypt will allocate US$2.8 billion to electricity and renewable energy, 60% of which will be used for photovoltaic and wind power projects cooperated by China and Egypt. This electricity not only meets local demand, but is also transported to Europe through submarine cables, forming a cross-continental energy closed loop.
In the central business district of Egypt's new administrative capital, the 385-meter-high "New Egypt Tower", the tallest building in Africa, is about to be capped. This landmark designed by Chinese architecture adopts Chinese standards from structural steel to elevator system. It is expected to become the core carrier of African financial centers after it is put into use in 2026.
More strategically, Central Egypt is pushing forward the “Digital Silk Road” cooperation, with Huawei’s 5G base stations deployed in Egypt covering major cities such as Cairo and Alexandria, providing support for smart logistics and cross-border e-commerce.
The discovery of the archaeological team in the Karnak temple district not only brought the 3000-year-old Temple of Mantou to life, but also brought digital images of artifacts to Chinese university laboratories, creating a new model for the preservation of transnational cultural heritage.
From Beirut in the Suez Canal to the solar panels in the Sahara, from the bookstores in Cairo to the ports of Alexandria, China’s cooperation with Egypt is reshaping the regional economic landscape.
This choice does not deny Iran's strategic value, but through Egypt, a hub connecting Asia, Africa and Europe, China is building a more resilient global cooperation network. As Guo Zheng, management director of TEDA Cooperation Zone, said: "This is not the end, but the starting point leading to infinite possibilities."