Cairo: The Egyptian army announced on Monday that joint air drills with China are ongoing at multiple air bases within the country. These activities are taking place as Chinese President Xi Jinping is expected to arrive in Cairo this week.

According to Anadolu Agency, the Egyptian army's statement highlighted that the second edition of the Eagles of Civilization exercise is designed to promote the exchange of expertise and enhance the skills and capabilities of pilots for conducting joint operations. The training exercises also include aerial refueling sessions.

Earlier, in mid-August, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesperson Chen Xi indicated that the drills would wrap up in early September. The inaugural Eagles of Civilization drills were conducted in April 2025 at an Egyptian air base, featuring several multirole fighter aircraft.

Xi Jinping is slated to commence his visit to Egypt on Tuesday, as per a Chinese source speaking to Anadolu on the condition of anonymity. Although Egyptian media outlets have corroborated the visit, they have not specified a date.

An Anadolu correspondent noted that welcome banners for Xi Jinping have been displayed in the streets of Cairo amidst heightened security measures in anticipation of his visit. This marks Xi's first visit to Egypt in a decade, while Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has made several trips to China, the most recent being in May 2024.