This comes after confirmation that Egypt’s military has adopted the Chinese HQ-9B missile system, as part of China’s efforts to strengthen defense relationships in the area.
China’s airforce has sent its KJ-500 airborne early warning and control plane abroad for the initial time during a combined military drill.
Egypt
as Beijing aims to strengthen defense relations with Africa.
This follows Egypt’s confirmation last month that it had begun utilizing the Chinese HQ-9B long-range surface-to-air missile system.
The
People’s Liberation Army
dispatched the KJ-500, alongside YU-20 tanker planes and J-10 fighters, to Egypt for the “Civilization Eagles 2025” exercise, a combined air drill that commenced on Saturday and continues through mid-May.
The KJ-500 is a cutting-edge radar plane equipped with highly developed electronic warfare systems and robust secure data links. It features a radar dome offering complete 360-degree coverage, enabling it to identify and monitor aerial and maritime targets over long distances.
Sun Degang, who leads the Center for Middle Eastern Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai, stated that the KJ-500’s mission over the Red Sea signifies “a considerable advancement in China’s military modernization” and demonstrates its potential use in long-range transportation missions and projecting power.
“China now possesses not only near-seas defence capabilities but also the capacity to conduct long-range escort missions and consular protection operations,” Sun said, referring to the presence of the KJ-500 in a strategically sensitive area.
In this area, the United States has been quite active, deploying the USS Harry S. Truman aircraft carrier for attacks on Iran-supported Houthi rebels in Yemen, as well as using the USS Carl Vinson warship to conduct airstrikes originating from the Arabian Sea.
Sun stated that regarding the US President
Donald Trump
back in office and Washington’s reduced engagement in Middle Eastern affairs, crises in Gaza and the Red Sea were increasingly threatening global supply chain security – meaning China had to improve its capabilities to protect its overseas interests.
“Military cooperation to provide security-related public goods has become a critical component of China’s broader partnerships with Middle Eastern countries and a key element of South-South cooperation,” Sun said.
Collin Koh, a senior fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies in Singapore, suggested that if China consistently exported the KJ-500 abroad, it might be intended for developing an extensive threat assessment database or potentially exchanging intelligence with allies like Iran or Russia.
“These advancements would surely attract significant notice from Western countries,” he noted.
The combined aerial exercise took place shortly following Samir Farag, a high-ranking advisor to the Egyptian president and a former major general, declaring on TV channel Sada El-Balad on April 5th that Egypt’s armed forces were operating at an elevated level of readiness. He also verified that they were utilizing China’s HQ-9B missile system due to growing apprehensions.
Military operations conducted by Israel in Gaza
.
The Israeli press coverage of this development emphasized Egypt’s continuous endeavors to expand its sources for acquiring weapons and enhance its aerial defense systems.
Koh stated that Trump’s policies seem to be providing greater strategic room for China in the Middle East, citing increasing Arab dissatisfaction with the U.S.-Israel stance on Gaza.
China’s well-established economic and diplomatic influence in the area, exemplified by its mediation of the recent détente between Iran and Saudi Arabia, naturally leads to expanding relationships into defense and security collaboration,” Koh stated. “Additionally, nations across the region are progressively seeking stronger connections with China.
A Hong Kong-based military analyst named Leung Kwok-leung stated that the HQ-9B agreement and the deployment of the KJ-500 highlight that China is not just extending its aerial capabilities but also providing comprehensive air defense systems internationally.
“Beijing’s growing involvement in regional security through this two-pronged approach indicates an expansion of its influence, which is being closely monitored by Israel and other nations,” Leung stated.
He mentioned that the HQ-9B is thought to possess an increased range of approximately 260 kilometers (162 miles), slightly surpassing the reach of the U.S. Navy’s Standard Missile-3 utilized on their Arleigh Burke-class destroyers.
The enhanced HQ-9B, showcased at the previous year’s event,
Zhuhai air show
It features advanced multi-target tracking and robust anti-jamming capabilities, with each launcher equipped with eight light-weight missiles—twice the payload compared to earlier models.
China’s weapons sales in the area mirror larger patterns, as Beijing is progressively providing sophisticated military equipment including top-tier airplanes, missile systems, and unmanned aerial vehicles.
Koh said that given concerns over Russia’s reliability as an arms supplier and as US allies reconsider their dependence on American weapons, “Chinese offers are now likely being taken more seriously”.
Andrea Ghiselli, a lecturer at the University of Exeter and head of research for the China-Mediterranean (ChinaMed) project at the University of Turin, said joint military exercises carried symbolic significance, but arms sales had more strategic weight.
“Arms sales can establish long-term partnerships, including technology transfer and training opportunities,” Ghiselli said.
Middle Eastern purchasers can use these opportunities to demonstrate their foreign policy autonomy and expand their relationships, especially when the U.S. imposes limitations on sophisticated gear such as armed drones. Additionally, defense collaboration with China helps strengthen economic connections with Beijing.
Developments such as the HQ-9B sale and the KJ-500 deployment could also bring strategic opportunities for China. The Middle East is a critical energy supplier, and Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates recently joined China’s digital yuan settlement network.
Leung stated, “This indicates that nations in the Middle East are becoming increasingly comfortable strengthening their economic ties with China, even as they face pressure from the United States.”
More Articles from SCMP
UN specialists will evaluate Hong Kong’s rescue team for certification in the coming year.
A study reveals that Hong Kong’s woodlands have the capacity to hold more than 7 million tons of carbon.
SCMP Top Picks: Gamblers Should Align With Leading Prospect at the Valley Racecourse
Filipinos mourn death of Pope Francis, their ‘Lolo Kiko’: ‘we grieve like orphans’
The article initially appeared on the South China Morning Post (www.scmp.com), which is the premier source for news coverage of China and Asia.
Copyright © 2025. South China Morning Post Publishers Ltd. All rights reserved.
