ABU DHABI // The UAE’s relationship with China will be rewritten during the three-day visit by Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, starting on Sunday.
Dr Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of State, said on Wednesday that a range of agreements in finance, investment, logistics, energy, education and technology would be signed during the visit by Sheikh Mohammed, also Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
The Crown Prince will meet president Xi Jinping and senior officials in his third trip to the country.
“This visit comes at a critical time,” Dr Al Jaber said. “The UAE and China have been able to establish a very strong, deeply rooted relationship, well founded in areas like political, economic, trade, military and security.
“This visit will act as a paradigm shift in this whole relationship and a new platform where we will all give it our best efforts to help enhance it, while we engage in identifying and creating new avenues and cooperation areas.”
He said deeper involvement with China would further contribute to the UAE’s economic development and open investment opportunities in areas including renewable energy, telecommunications, infrastructure, rail, aerospace and finance.
“Our main aim through this visit is to ensure that we elevate the common economic and political interests across the visit’s agenda,” Dr Al Jaber said.
“It will provide a vital opportunity to build on mutual interests … which will allow for long-term stability, security and prosperity in the broader region. Bilateral trade in 1984 was about US$63 million [Dh231.4m].
“The current figures for 2015 stand at around $54.8 billion, and trade has increased by 16 per cent annually for the past six years. With 4,200 Chinese companies registered in the UAE, the country is the largest Middle East market for Chinese products.”
He said the aim of the visit was to “enhance such numbers, increase them and create new avenues for cooperation that will allow for this relationship to be expanded strategically, benefit both countries and creating a positive spillover on the regional economy”.
Last April, the UAE became a founding partner of the Asian Investment and Infrastructure Bank.
“We are a big and key supporter of the One Belt, One Road strategy,” Dr Al Jaber said. “It is China’s primary foreign and domestic growth policy vehicle that focuses on facilitating trade, investment and diplomatic ties in central Asia.
“We find the UAE to be a natural partner for this very important initiative.”
He said it would have a direct impact on improving economic and trade ties across Asia. “In our view, it is comprehensive, holistic in its nature, progressive, inclusive and we are a committed partner to it,” he said. “The UAE-China relationship is extremely high on our agenda from a political, economic and strategic point of view.”
China relies on the Middle East for its oil imports and energy, making regional stability a concern for Beijing.
“I am confident that this visit will be useful for both sides to further connect their development strategies and make achievements in friendly cooperation,” said Chang Hua, China’s ambassador to the UAE.
“China has long viewed the UAE as a major partner for cooperation in the Middle East and the Gulf. Bilateral trade hit a new high and our cooperation in energy, finance and investment projects has been fruitful.”
Dr Theodore Karasik, a geopolitical analyst, said the UAE’s position at the crossroads between Asia, Europe and Africa made it extremely important to China.
“Given that the UAE is at the centre of Beijing’s plans for economic expansion and growth, it’s only natural that the leadership of the UAE would be visiting Beijing at this time,” Dr Karasik said.
He said talks on security would be important, as China is increasing its presence and interest in affairs in the Levant and the GCC.
cmalek@thenational.ae
