Mohamed's visit to bring paradigm shift in UAE-China relations: Sultan Al Jaber

His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces will head a high-level delegation during his three-day visit to the People’s Republic of China.

UAE-China relations will undergo a new paradigm shift following the visit as several key agreements are expected to be signed between the two countries, said Dr. Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of State and Chairman of the National Media Council.

Briefing the media ahead of the official visit Dr Al Jaber said, “We see our relationship with China as a strategic one, built upon the foundations of respect, trust, and equality. In a world undergoing a significant economic shift, the UAE and China share a common goal in ensuring sustainable growth, stability and prosperity.”

The UAE and China are linked by 36 agreements for cooperation, with plans to expand their strategic partnership through creation of a joint sovereign fund, which will be announced soon.

Cooperation between the two countries is overseen by a joint committee, tasked with expanding cooperation in financial, banking, industrial, agricultural, investment training and information fields. The UAE recently joined the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank as a founding member. The Bank's regional headquarters is based in Abu Dhabi.

Other prominent domains of cooperation include space, oil storage in China, as well as agreements on oil and gas, nuclear energy, railways, infrastructure, currency exchange, aerospace technology and advanced technology.

“The UAE looks to further expand its economic relations with China, particularly as a founding partner of the Asian Investment and Infrastructure Bank and in the context of China’s One Belt, One Road Strategy,” added Dr Al Jaber.

Bilateral trade between the two countries was Dh231.21 million (US$63 million) in 1984. Current figures for the year to date stand at Dh201.28 billion (US$54.8 billion). With 4,200 Chinese companies registered in the UAE, the country is the largest Middle East market for Chinese products.

During the visit staring December 13 to 15 His Highness the Crown Prince will be accompanied by a delegation of high-level ministers and officials.

In December 1989, President Yang Shangkun made the first ever visit to the UAE by a Chinese head of state, while the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan reciprocated by visiting China in 1990.

In January 2007, President Hu Jintao made a stop-over in Dubai and was received by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai,  and in January 2012, Wen Jiabao, Premier of the State Council of the People's Republic of China, made a state visit to the UAE and took part in the World Future Energy Summit. The visit also saw the signing of a strategic partnership agreement between the UAE and China.

In 2008, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum led a high ranking UAE delegation on a visit to China, where he held talks with its officials and met with economic and business leaders in Beijing and Shanghai.

In 2009 and 2012, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan made two visits to China under invitations by the then Chinese Vice President, Xi Jinping.

As Dr Al Jaber pointed out relations between the two countries are poised to grow further, thanks to their huge potentials and influential roles in regional and international arenas. The UAE is an emerging economy with a unique and strategic location.  China, on the other hand, is the world's second largest economy and is tipped to go that one step higher in the coming years due to its high growth rates. Combining such potentials will have a positive impact on the two countries' political and economic relations.
 

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