Chinese President Xi Jinping plans to work with the UAE leaders to draw up a blueprint for China-UAE cooperation so as to unlock its full potential and advance bilateral relations to a higher level.

 

In an Op-Ed on the eve of his upcoming first visit to UAE, Xi said the past 34 years have seen a fruitful effort of the two nations to explore a development path benefitting their respective circumstances, a Wam news agency report said.

 

Xi said the UAE and China are geographically far apart and different in national conditions, but "both are proud to have an enterprising and creative people who never give up their dreams."

 

"The development philosophies and policy objectives of our countries are similar. Our bonds of cooperation are growing stronger. China and the UAE have become bosom friends who help and complement each other, and important partners who always communicate and coordinate with each other on regional and international affairs," he wrote.

 

The Chinese leader also spoke about the two countries strategic partnership signed in 2012 which entailed cooperation in upstream energy, industrial capacity, technology, finance, and people to people contacts and cultural exchanges, besides Belt and Road cooperation, which he said is rooted in the history of the ancient Silk Road and dovetails with the development needs of Arab states, especially their economic diversification and industrialisation.

 

He also expressed his wish for China and the UAE to strengthen their communication and coordination, safeguard and expand their common interests in regional and international affairs, and jointly contribute to world peace, stability and prosperity.

 

He said that China and the UAE need to deepen cooperation in culture, education, tourism, youth, media and other areas, and promote dialogue and mutual learning between religions and civilisations. In this connection, he added that China will open a Chinese culture centre in Abu Dhabi. 

 

He also announced that China will support and participate in Expo 2020 Dubai, which will be the first expo held in the Middle East.

 

President Xi at the end of his opinion piece said, "Happiness is to be earned through hard work", quoting the Founding Father of the UAE, late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who said, that oil alone cannot bring progress to a country and that it must be combined with the hard work of its people.

 

Xi's state visit to the UAE will start tomorrow (July 19). It will be the first stop of his first overseas trip this year.