China's Xi tells Middle East to be ‘masters of their own destiny’ amid Iran war

Chinese President Xi Jinping, second left, and his wife Peng Liyuan, left, are welcomed by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, right, and his wife Entissar Amer upon their arrival in Cairo Chinese President Xi Jinping called on Middle Eastern countries to oppose external interference and consider reshaping the region's security order during talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo on Wednesday, as Beijing seeks to expand its influence amid the US war against Iran.Xi, on his first visit to the Middle East in four years, said countries in the region should be “masters of their own destiny” and explore a new regional “security architecture”, according to China's state news agency Xinhua.The Chinese leader also said Beijing was ready to work with countries in the region to safeguard shipping routes, an issue that has gained greater significance after the conflict disrupted traffic through the Strait of Hormuz and Bab al-Mandeb.Egypt and China expand security, economic cooperationXi was welcomed by Sisi with a military ceremony in Cairo. The two leaders agreed to deepen security cooperation and counterterrorism coordination.According to a joint statement, the tw...