How China's Response to the Suez Canal Crisis Helped Shape Sino-Egyptian Relations

Resumo

Gamal Abdel Nasser used his strong response to the 1956 Suez Canal crisis to elevate his political position within Egypt.  However, Nasser and Egypt did not respond to European and Israeli aggression alone.  World-wide political pressure caused the Suez Canal Crisis to serve as a turning point where French and British global dominance were surpassed by that of the United States and the Soviet Union.  However, China also played a substantial role in aiding Egypt.  In a recognition of Egypt’s analogical circumstances of ideological struggle versus imperial powers and out of a desire to establish stronger relations in the area, China used their state response to build stronger connections with both Nasser and Egypt.  As a result of the Chinese response to the Suez Canal Crisis, the foundations were laid for more positive Chinese-Egyptian relations for the next several decades.