President Sheikh Mohamed on Saturday sent a message of congratulations to China's President Xi Jinping on the country's 73rd National Day. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, sent a similar message to Mr Xi and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, also conveyed his congratulations. "Our countries share a deep friendship and we look further to strengthening and fostering our relations," he said. The UAE and China share a close relationship and long-standing ties. On Friday, <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/transport/2022/03/15/etihad-rail-suhail-al-mazrouei-reviews-progress-of-mega-project/">Suhail Al Mazrouei</a>, Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, said the growth of bilateral relations between the UAE and China <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/government/2022/09/30/uae-china-relations-a-global-model-to-follow-says-minister/" target="_blank">is a global model to follow</a>. He said the strategic ties between the two countries had been upgraded to a comprehensive partnership thanks to their significant development prospects. The UAE was among the first countries to join the <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/uae/government/uae-vice-president-meets-china-s-xi-jinping-as-belt-and-road-event-begins-1.853574">Belt and Road Initiative</a> and is now the largest logistics hub for China in the Middle East. More than 60 per cent of China's trade in the region now transits through the UAE. Non-oil trade between the UAE and China increased by 78.5 per cent from 2012 to 2021, totalling Dh223.5 billion ($60.9bn) by the end of 2021 compared to Dh125.1 billion in 2012.