Xi Jinping's presidential aircraft returns to Beijing from Trabzon after Egypt visit

Xi Jinping / Chinese Presidential Flight's Boeing 747-89L, tail B-2479, was tracked departing Trabzon International Airport (LTCG) at 18:39 UTC on September 2, 2026, and arriving at Beijing Capital International Airport (ZBAA) at 01:32 UTC on September 3, after a 6-hour 53-minute flight at 35,000 feet. The aircraft, one of two 747-89L widebodies in the presidential fleet, operates under the CCA001 callsign block and is among the most closely watched government transports globally. Trabzon, a Turkish city on the Black Sea, is an unusual stop for this aircraft, suggesting a possible refueling or technical stop en route from the Middle East.

If Xi Jinping was aboard, the timing would align with the conclusion of a high-profile diplomatic tour that included the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Bishkek and a state visit to Egypt. According to a Reuters report on September 2, Xi Jinping called on Middle Eastern nations to oppose external interference and consider reshaping the region's security order during talks with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi in Cairo. The visit, Xi's first to Egypt in a decade, underscores Beijing's push to expand its influence as U.S. partners reassess strategic relationships amid the ongoing U.S.-Iran conflict. The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed Xi Jinping arrived in Cairo on the evening of September 1 with First Lady Peng Liyuan and senior officials including Cai Qi and Wang Yi.

The flight from Trabzon to Beijing fits the pattern of Xi Jinping's recent movements. The same aircraft was tracked flying from near Tbilisi, Georgia, to Cairo on September 1, and prior to that from Seoul to Jakarta on August 20, and from London to Zhuhai on August 10. These legs reflect a busy schedule of multilateral summits and bilateral visits. The return to Beijing, while routine, comes at a moment when China is deepening ties with Egypt — a key U.S. ally — through expanded cooperation in data centers, semiconductors, and military exercises, as covered by the Los Angeles Times on September 2. The Suez Canal and Egypt's diplomatic clout are central to China's broader Middle East strategy, especially with oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz disrupted by war.