From Rafales to railways: Egypt walks tightrope between China, West
While Chinese investments reshape Egypt’s economy, structural trade imbalances and conflicting regional interests highlight the limits of this “golden decade” of cooperation
When French President Emmanuel Macron landed in Cairo last week, the Egyptian air force escorted his plane in French-made Rafale fighter jets, not Chinese J-10s.
Since September, the internet has been awash with rumors the Egyptian air force received China's fourth-generation J-10 fighters. South China Morning Post wrote, “Egypt's reported purchase of Chinese fighter jets is a sign of Beijing's increasing leverage in the Middle East.” Even the British premier think tank Chatham House picked up the news, framing “the reported story” as “a reminder Cold War tactics are back.”
By late February, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Wu Qian felt compelled to step in to set the record straight, saying, “It is inconsistent with the facts. Total fake news.”
Egypt's relationship with China has grown deep and complex enough that the J-10 story landed with an air of credibility.
