The President of the United Arab Emirates, His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, arrived in Beijing at the start of a two-day state visit to China, following an invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping.
The trip marks a transitional change in the enduring relationship between the UAE and China, which has evolved into a strategic partnership in various sectors.
Regular dialogue, high-level meetings and continued ministerial engagements demonstrate the UAE and China’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations.
Relations between the UAE and China go back several decades. They began with the visit of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan to China in 1990, which was followed by the visit of the late Chinese President Yang Shangkun to the UAE in 1989, laying the foundation for this long-standing partnership.
These high-level reciprocal visits, including President Xi Jinping’s trip to the United Arab Emirates in 2018 and Sheikh Mohamed’s visit to China in 2019, have significantly strengthened the strategic partnership, paving the way for a new era of collaboration.
Formal diplomatic relations between the UAE and China were established on 1 November 1984. China opened its embassy in Abu Dhabi in April 1985, followed by the inauguration of the UAE embassy in Beijing in March 1987.
Underlining the UAE’s commitment to strengthening relations, consulates were established in Hong Kong (April 2000), Shanghai (July 2009) and Guangzhou (June 2016). Meanwhile, China opened its consulate in Dubai in November 1988.
The UAE and China enjoy a comprehensive partnership, strengthened by joint coordination at all levels, including the signing of more than 148 bilateral agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) covering various areas.
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