Chinese President Xi Jinping, in his talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi in Cairo emphasized “China’s support for regional countries in building a new security architecture in the Middle East,” as he likewise asserted that development must be “the foundation for common security,” Xinhua’s readout on their Sept. 2 meeting reported.
While the Egyptian and Chinese presidents discussed bilateral matters at length, Xi also presented a four-point proposal of the principles needed for the “new regional security architecture” needed for a lasting peace in the region to be achieved. He argued that it is necessary to “foster the internal driving force for common security in the region"— which means, he stated clearly, that “external powers” (none needed to be named) should butt out and let the nations and peoples of the region determine their own future.
First and foremost, “people in the Middle East should remain masters of their own affairs, and external interference should be rejected,” Xi said. Here, he stated China’s support for “regional countries in strengthening dialogue on peace and security, exploring the building of a new security architecture for the Middle East, and taking their future into their own hands.”
“Given the multiple hotspots in the Middle East and their close interconnections, comprehensive solutions,” are required. He specified that “the Palestinian issue remains at the core of the Middle East question and should never be overlooked or marginalized.”
