Egypt, China continue joint air drills ahead of Xi’s visit to Cairo

Hussien Elkabany

The Egyptian army said Monday that joint air drills with China were continuing at several air bases in the country.

The drills come just as Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to visit Cairo this week.

In a statement, the Egyptian army said the second edition of the Eagles of Civilization exercise aims to facilitate the exchange of expertise and develop pilots’ skills and capabilities for conducting joint operations.

The exercise also included aerial refueling training.

In mid-August, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Chen Xi said the drills would conclude in early September.

The first edition of the Eagles of Civilization drills was held in April 2025 at an Egyptian air base, with the participation of several multirole fighter aircraft.

Xi is scheduled to begin a visit to Egypt on Tuesday, according to a Chinese source who spoke to Anadolu on condition of anonymity.

Egyptian media outlets have also confirmed the visit but have not announced a date.

Welcome banners for Xi were seen on the streets of the Egyptian capital amid tight security measures ahead of the visit, according to an Anadolu correspondent.

This will be Xi’s first visit to Egypt in 10 years.

President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has visited China several times, most recently in May 2024.