China deploys fighter jets to Africa for first time in joint Egypt exercises

China has deployed J-16 fighter jets to Egypt for joint air exercises, marking Beijing's first deployment of combat aircraft to Africa and underscoring its expanding ability to project military power across continents where its economic interests now run deep.

The Chinese fighters are participating in Egypt's "Eagles of Civilisation" drills alongside Egyptian Rafales and MiG-29s, supported by YU-20 tankers that refuelled the jets mid-air during the deployment. The operation provides the People's Liberation Army experience in moving a combat force across continents and operating with a major Arab military.

Military cooperation follows economic footprint

The drills coincide with Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Egypt, commemorating 70 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries. Those ties have evolved from diplomacy and trade into infrastructure, technology and now military cooperation.

Chinese economic interests are deeply embedded around the Suez Canal, where Chinese companies have established manufacturing and logistics operations, using Egypt as a production and distribution base linking their supply chains to European, African and Middle Eastern markets.

Egyptian firms signed 17 export contracts worth US$168 million with Chinese buyers last month. Beijing's investment in Egypt in the first half of 2026 is estimated at up to US$2 billion, with much of the funds going into the expansion of existing projects. Beijing has also extended zero-tariff treatment to Egyptian goods, removing duties that had reached 30 per cent.

Yet the commercial relationship remains asymmetric: Egypt's trade deficit with China exceeded US$18 billion last year.

The deployment signals that after decades of building economic interests abroad, China is developing the ability to put military power behind them. That footprint is still growing.

Source: South China Morning Post