EgyptIsrael

The period between 2025 and 2026 witnessed a significant increase in the level and scope of intelligence, military, and security cooperation between the Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate and the Chinese Ministry of State Security “MSS” (which acts as China’s intelligence agency). This development raised considerable concern within Israeli security and intelligence circles (Mossad). This concern stemmed particularly from the shift in the level and scope of Egyptian-Chinese cooperation from an economic framework to an intelligence and technological partnership aimed at bolstering Egyptian sovereignty and diminishing Israel’s qualitative edge in the fields of espionage and aerial surveillance. This cooperation encompassed areas such as electronic warfare and surveillance systems, including the provision of advanced Chinese radars to Egypt, granting it a high capacity for detecting aerial threats independently of systems technically linked to the United States or Israel.

  On the other hand, the Chinese Ministry of State Security (Chinese intelligence) closely monitored Egyptian moves and the pressure exerted by the head of Egyptian intelligence, Major General/ Hassan Rashad, on the Israeli Mossad during the Gaza peace negotiations in October 2015. Chinese intelligence devised a strategy of “pressure against the Mossad” aimed at curbing the Mossad’s ambitions in the region and ensuring the stability of Egypt’s borders amidst regional tensions. This strategy also aimed to safeguard China’s interests and its Belt and Road Initiative. The Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate collaborated with its Chinese counterpart, the Ministry of State Security, to protect vital waterways and straits, including the (Suez Canal, the Gulf of Aden, the Bab El-Mandeb Strait, and the Strait of Hormuz), thereby limiting Israeli and American actions that could harm China’s interests in Egypt and the region.

  In September 2025, Chinese intelligence, military, and security reports indicated that the Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate had successfully uncovered and thwarted a Mossad “secret plan” to carry out an airstrike to assassinate Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital, Doha. Egypt (with the knowledge of the Chinese Ministry of State Security) informed the Qatari side of the operation just 25 minutes before its execution, thus disrupting it and triggering extensive internal investigations within the Israeli Mossad to understand how the Israeli intelligence plan was leaked to Cairo and the Egyptian General Intelligence Directorate with the assistance of Chinese intelligence agencies. This success demonstrated Cairo and its General Intelligence Directorate’s superiority over the Israeli Mossad, thanks to China’s provision of a massive fleet of advanced Chinese satellites to monitor all Israeli movements around the clock and limit Israel’s influence.

  Here, cooperation between Egyptian General Intelligence and the Chinese side in confronting Israel takes on a largely undeclared strategic character, but it has recently emerged through several security and technical channels that have raised concerns in Israeli circles. This cooperation takes the form of technical and intelligence cooperation (aerial surveillance). The Egyptian Ministry of Defense has signed several memoranda of understanding with Chinese state-owned companies, such as (Norinco), to enhance Egyptian-Chinese cooperation in sensitive defense industries. Egypt has also acquired Chinese air defense systems, raising Israeli questions about how advanced Chinese technology is being transferred to Cairo to undermine Israel’s qualitative military edge, which is currently dominated by advanced American technology. This highlights the growing Egyptian-Chinese military rapprochement, aimed at “diversifying Egypt’s arms sources”  and maintaining the independence of Egyptian security decision-making. Israel and Washington are monitoring this development cautiously, as it could diminish Western influence in the region. In May 2025, several Israeli media reports accused Egypt of coordinating with China to use advanced Chinese early warning aircraft, known as the (KJ-500) aircraft, to penetrate Israeli air defenses.

  Which has proven effective in testing or penetrating Israeli air defenses. Israeli reports also claimed that Egypt exploited the “Civilization Eagle” joint air exercises with China in April-May 2025 to secretly monitor the deployment of Israeli forces using advanced Chinese surveillance technology. Israeli researchers and military personnel from the (Israeli Institute for National Security Studies) alleged that Egypt used the joint air exercises with China to secretly monitor the deployment of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). They considered this an unprecedented “intelligence provocation” by Cairo with the support of Beijing.

 Here, Chinese intelligence agencies, specifically the Ministry of State Security (MSS), play a significant role in intelligence cooperation with Egypt regarding the Palestinian issue. This is achieved through Chinese assessments of all Israeli and American actions in this regard. Intelligence reports indicate that the MSS is evaluating the “high-risk maneuvers” conducted by Egyptian intelligence with Mossad, reflecting a deep Chinese interest in Egypt’s approach to managing the conflict with Israel.

 Furthermore, Chinese state agencies and their intelligence apparatus are working to support the Egyptian position in the face of Mossad’s stalling tactics. This support is manifested through Chinese intelligence and diplomatic coordination with Egypt to promote a two-state solution and reject the forced displacement of Palestinians, which Israel views as an attempt to undermine its influence and politically isolate it. The Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS) has also shown increasing interest in the outcomes of the ceasefire negotiations in Gaza, which involved the heads of intelligence agencies from Egypt, Qatar, and the United States.

 The Chinese Ministry of State Security is also supporting Egypt through numerous military deals and security communications, including arms sales to Cairo and the arrival of several Chinese fighter jets, known as the (J-10C) to Egypt in 2025. Several Israeli analysts and military officials considered this Chinese military deal with Egypt a “silent crossing” and a challenge to the US-backed Israeli air superiority in the region.

 The Israeli Mossad and its leadership in Tel Aviv described the Egyptian-Chinese air force exercises in Sinai from April to May 2025, known as “Eagles of Civilization,” given their proximity to the Israeli border, as clear strategic messages to Israel and deterrents regarding the diversification of Egypt’s power sources and its aerial and military surveillance capabilities against Israeli military deployments, with Chinese assistance. The joint Egyptian-Chinese “Eagles of Civilization” military exercises included realistic simulations of combat operations and the planning of air missions. Israeli analysts considered this a strategic shift that could affect the regional balance of deterrence in Egypt’s favor in its military confrontation with Israel.

 China adopts a strategic vision for the conflict and tensions between Egypt and the Mossad (or the Israeli side in general). This vision focuses on strengthening Egypt’s defense capabilities against Israeli pressure. A key feature of this vision is Chinese support for a strategic balance between Egypt and Israel in the face of Washington. Through deepening its military cooperation with Egypt, China aims to create a kind of “strategic deterrence” that reduces Israeli hegemony in the region. Israeli security circles have expressed growing concern over China’s provision of advanced military technologies to Egypt, such as air defense systems, electronic warfare equipment, and early warning aircraft, known as the (KJ-50).

  The Chinese Ministry of State Security (which acts as China’s intelligence agency) is also closely monitoring the outcomes of negotiations and the pressure exerted by US intelligence agencies, including Mossad, on Egypt regarding sensitive and complex issues for China, such as the management of the conflict in the Gaza Strip. China views Egypt as a pillar of stability and rejects the “law of the jungle” and the policies that Israel and the United States are attempting to impose on Cairo concerning the forced displacement of Palestinians. Furthermore, Chinese intelligence agencies, represented by the Ministry of State Security, have played a significant role in indirect cooperation to thwart Western and Israeli intelligence attempts aimed at destabilizing the Egyptian army or using terrorist political groups, such as the Muslim Brotherhood, to dismantle it.

  Here, China is working to thwart Israeli espionage attempts through Mossad and the “CIA” by countering all technological infiltrations of Cairo. This is being done through China’s promotion of replacing Israeli and American software and technologies with more secure Chinese alternatives in the region.

 To this end, the Chinese Ministry of State Security and all its relevant agencies are working in political alignment with Egypt against the escalation in the besieged Gaza Strip. China agrees with Egypt on the necessity of an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and rejects the forced displacement of Palestinians. China supports the Egyptian mediation role, believing that regional stability begins with a just solution to the Palestinian issue, one that is independent of imposed Israeli security solutions.

   Consequently, Israeli concerns have grown regarding Chinese influence in Egypt and the wider region, which they believe is detrimental to Israeli interests. Israeli security research centers and military leaders believe that China is using its close ties with regional states, including Egypt, to gather intelligence on Israeli technology and military capabilities, and then using this information to spy on Israel and on American interests, which are China’s rivals in the region. The intelligence crisis between Beijing and Tel Aviv reached its peak in September 2025 when Israeli Prime Minister “Benjamin Netanyahu” accused China of leading propaganda campaigns aimed at politically isolating Israel and weakening its international support.