Chinese President Xi Jinping, during his first visit to Cairo in a decade, called on Middle East countries to oppose external influence and consider reshaping the region’s security order. His remarks to Egyptian counterpart Abdel Fattah el-Sisi come as Beijing seeks to expand its influence in the region amid the ongoing US-Israel war with Iran, which has prompted regional powers to rethink defence. Xi emphasized upholding the principle that the people of the Middle East are the masters of their own affairs and supporting regional dialogue on peace and security.