Focus of Xi's trip dialogue and development

Besides the second phase of the China-Egypt Suez Economic and Trade Cooperation Zone which will soon begin, China is also poised to take part in other major Egyptian infrastructure projects including the Suez Canal Corridor and the new administrative capital.

More importantly, China is expected to play a more constructive role in regional disputes, and promote peace talks instead of "looking for a proxy in the Middle East or seeking any sphere of influence", as Xi made clear in his keynote speech at the Cairo-based Arab League Headquarters on Thursday.

Beijing has for decades espoused a policy of non-interference in other countries' internal affairs. Being a staunch supporter of the Middle East peace process, it is providing 50 million yuan ($7.6 million) to Palestine to improve local people's well-being, as well as 230 million yuan of additional humanitarian assistance to the people of Syria, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya and Yemen.

But such a stance does not mean the country will "eventually pick sides", as some Western media outlets have speculated, because enhancing the bonds between China and the Middle East is a result of shared willingness to cooperate with no political conditions attached. As Xi said in his speech on Thursday, dialogue and development are the key factors that will help restore peace and stability in the Middle East. That explains why China is the only major power which has managed to maintain friendly relations with the region.

Li Shaoxian is a senior expert on Middle East studies at Ningxia University in Yinchuan, the Ningxia Hui autonomous region. The article is an excerpt of his interview with China Daily's Cui Shoufeng.