TL/DR –
The “Eagles of Civilization 2025” exercise was a significant step towards strengthening military relations between Beijing and Cairo, marking China’s major military activity in Africa. However, the deepening security ties between the two nations are raising concerns in the U.S, as it sees this as China’s attempt to gain military influence in a strategically important region. Furthermore, Egypt’s initiatives to develop military ties with China independently of the U.S. is seen as a potential threat to Israeli interests, and could possibly trigger U.S. interventions.
Eagles of Civilization Joint Military Exercises
The strengthening of military relations between Beijing and Cairo is marked by the “Eagles of Civilization 2025” exercise, a significant joint air exercise held in Egypt. This exercise symbolises China’s expanding military activity in Africa. The subsequent “Eagles of Civilization 2026” exercise preceded President Xi’s visit.
The China-Egypt cooperation, initially economic based, is morphing into a strategic partnership inclusive of security matters. However, maintaining the pace of this relationship could prove difficult. The primary concern arises from the potential impact on the US of the growing Beijing-Cairo ties, particularly in security. The rising competition between the US and China, coupled with Beijing’s growing security ties with Egypt, threatens US military influence in this crucial region.
Further US concerns stem from Israeli interests. Egypt’s move to lessen US dependency by forging military ties with China and enhancing its military power independently is seen as a threat by Israel. This concern mirrors the US response to Egypt’s military ties with Russia and significant arms procurements in the latter half of the 2010s, which elicited US sanctions threats against Cairo. The evolving China-Egypt security partnership holds potential for similar interventions.
(Article originally in Turkish from the Middle East Africa website)
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