The relationship between the Nasser Military Academy—now renamed the Military Academy for Postgraduate and Strategic Studies—and Chinese military institutions is undergoing a qualitative transformation within the framework of a “building future elites” strategy. The Nasser Higher Military Academy in Egypt enjoys close and continuous relations with China, based on the exchange of military expertise, education, and joint training, within the framework of a comprehensive strategic partnership. These relations include high-level reciprocal visits, training courses, and cooperation in the fields of air defense and military manufacturing. This aims to benefit from Chinese expertise in the rapid development and modernization of military capabilities through the exchange of military delegations, lectures, and reciprocal visits by military officials and strategic experts from Egypt and China to exchange shared perspectives on security and defense issues, especially given the close relationship that Chinese military experts describe as having “stood the test of time.”
To this end, Chinese military and security leaders are seeking to strengthen their presence in a strategic region like Egypt, linking Egypt to their initiatives within the framework of the “Belt and Road Initiative” by deepening Chinese-Egyptian defense cooperation. This Chinese-Egyptian military and security partnership raises concerns in American and Israeli circles due to the potential for this rapprochement to limit Washington’s influence in the region.
This Chinese approach reflects Beijing’s desire to bolster its presence in the Arab region through Egypt, with a focus on building deep partnerships based on technical and military exchange. This involves extensive military utilization of the Chinese military experience and studying the “Chinese military model” for military development and modernization. China is specifically targeting future military leaders at the Nasser Military Academy to instill Chinese strategic concepts as part of a broader Chinese strategy to build long-term relationships with Egyptian military leaders. China seeks to enhance its military influence in Egypt by building strong communication networks with army officers, Nasser Military Academy leaders, and future elites, aiming to present Chinese military thought as a strategic alternative to American and Western hegemony. These efforts include the supply of advanced defense systems, such as the HQ-9B, and joint training exercises to enhance Chinese military cooperation with Egyptian military leaders, indicating an attempt to reduce Egypt’s traditional reliance on Western and American training and equipment.
The most prominent feature of this ongoing cooperation between Chinese and Egyptian military elites in 2025 and 2026 lies in the desire of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and the Chinese National Defense University to create and prepare a “joint military elite” in Egypt and the Middle East. China aims, through the “PLA National Defense University” (PLAU), to build long-term relationships with Egyptian and Arab leaders of the rank of colonel and above. In addition to China’s keenness on exchanging faculty members with Egyptian military and security leaders in particular, Chinese programs host faculty members from the Nasser Military Academy in Egypt to discuss regional security issues, such as the Gaza War, as an alternative to Western military thought. Furthermore, through its relationships with future military elites in Egypt and the Middle East, here, China seeks to build a new military doctrine. China promotes a (defense doctrine based on digital transformation and information technology, moving away from the traditional dominance of American training). China has successfully developed practical training and combat programs for Egyptian army officers and soldiers through the field and technical training provided by the “Eagles of Civilization” Egyptian-Chinese maneuvers in April-May 2025. In April/May 2025, the Egyptian and Chinese air forces conducted their first joint training exercise in Egypt, which included combat sorties and planning for complex operations involving multi-role fighter jets.
Here, China aims to offer a strategic alternative for future Egyptian military elites, presenting a military and ideological model distinct from that of the West and the United States, thus providing Egypt with a diversification of strategic partners. This approach reflects Beijing’s desire to strengthen its presence in the Arab region through Egypt, focusing on building deep partnerships based on technical and military exchange.
To this end, academic and technological cooperation between Egypt and China stands out. In November 2024, the Egyptian Military Academy hosted a high-level Chinese delegation to discuss personnel development, coinciding with China’s establishment of three new military academies specializing in information support and joint logistics in May 2025. The most prominent objectives of Chinese strategic cooperation with the Egyptian military elite lie in China’s desire to build networks and communication relationships with Egyptian army officers through soft power. China seeks to implement its vision and initiative for global security, launched by Chinese President Xi Jinping and known as the “Global Security Initiative.” Through joint curricula with Egyptian and Arab military academies.
China is working to strengthen future military leaders in Egypt through a strategic defense partnership that includes technology transfer, advanced training, and the localization of arms manufacturing. This includes supplying Egypt with Chinese drones such as the Wing Loong-1D and advanced Chinese radar systems and negotiations for Chinese military submarines, known as Type 039A.
With a Chinese focus on training Egyptian technicians and officers in the maintenance and operation of these advanced Chinese combat and military systems, thus enhancing the readiness of the Egyptian Armed Forces. Furthermore, China welcomed President “Abdel Fattah El-Sisi’s invitation to transfer and localize Chinese technology and industries in Egypt”. Here, Chinese military deals with Egypt are not limited to sales but also include the transfer of ASN-209 drone manufacturing technology to Cairo. This will build strong local military capabilities within Egypt. The military understandings between Egypt and China also included training Egyptian technicians on the maintenance of military engines, such as the WS-10B. Upgrading radar and software systems, modernizing weapons and training systems, and introducing Chinese J-10C fighter jets and Chinese PL-15 long-range missiles, which require Egyptian training on the maintenance of Chinese WS-10B engines.
And Chinese radar systems, thus enhancing the Egyptian army’s overall war economy and smart warfare capabilities. This ensures future operational independence for the Egyptian military. These Chinese efforts to modernize and enhance the capabilities and readiness of the Egyptian army, its leadership, and officers strengthen Egypt’s ability to diversify its arms sources and reduce its dependence on American and Western technology.
For this reason, China seeks to localize Chinese military technology and equipment with the Egyptian army. To this end, China is intensifying its invitations to and meetings with members of the Egyptian military elite. These meetings provide Egyptian military academies and their Chinese counterparts an opportunity to evaluate advanced Chinese equipment, paving the way for potential purchase deals and deeper technical cooperation between the two sides. This cooperation is independent of the conditional arms deals imposed by the US and the West on Egypt and other Arab countries. It involves technology transfer and professional military training for members of the Egyptian military elite, as well as China providing Egypt with advanced air defense systems. This opens the door to training Egyptian technicians and officers on the operation and design of Chinese equipment, thus reducing the traditional dominance of US military training.
