Xi Jinping Meets with Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum of the United Arab Emirates (UAE)

On April 25, 2019, President Xi Jinping met with Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the Great Hall of the People.

Xi Jinping pointed out that during my visit to the UAE last July, China and the UAE announced to establish the comprehensive strategic partnership, opening a new chapter in the development of bilateral relations. The Chinese side regards the UAE as an important cooperative partner in jointly building the Belt and Road Initiative. The two sides should steadily advance practical cooperation centering on energy cooperation, with investment and infrastructure construction as the supplement and the high-tech sector as the growth point. The two countries should align the innovative development strategies and create new growth points for cooperation between the two countries in the next stage. Both sides should deepen security cooperation, including combating terrorism and extremist forces, to jointly safeguard security and stability of the two countries and the region. The "embrace China" plan proposed by Mr. Vice President is well received by the UAE people. Both sides should make unremitting efforts to promote people-to-people and cultural exchanges between the two countries. The Chinese side supports the UAE side in hosting the World Expo next year, the first to be held in the Middle East.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum said that President Xi Jinping's visit to the UAE last year was a complete success, which has vigorously promoted the development of UAE-China relations. We are deeply impressed by President Xi Jinping's thought. The UAE attaches great importance to its relations with China from a strategic perspective, and firmly believes that China enjoys bright development prospects and represents the future. The Belt and Road Initiative will surely achieve great success and help countries along the route realize greater development. The UAE looks forward to deepening its traditional friendship with the Chinese side, strengthening high-level exchanges and expanding cooperation in a wide range of fields.

Ding Xuexiang, Yang Jiechi, Wang Yi and He Lifeng attended the meeting.