The UAE's President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan has arrived in Beijing, at the start of a two-day state visit to China, following an invitation from Chinese President Xi Jinping.
This trip marks a transitional shift in the enduring UAE-China ties, which have grown into a strategic partnership across various sectors.
Regular dialogue, high-level meetings, and ongoing ministerial engagements demonstrate the commitment of the UAE and China to strengthen bilateral ties.
The UAE-China relations stretch back several decades. They started with the visit of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan to China in 1990, which was reciprocated by the late Chinese President Yang Shangkun's visit to the UAE in 1989, laying the foundation for this long-standing partnership.
These reciprocal high-level visits, including President Xi Jinping's trip to the UAE in 2018 and Sheikh Mohamed's visit to China in 2019, have significantly bolstered the strategic partnership, ushering in a new era of collaboration.
Formal diplomatic ties between the UAE and China were established on November 1, 1984. China opened its embassy in Abu Dhabi in April 1985, followed by the inauguration of the UAE's embassy in Beijing in March 1987.
Underscoring the UAE's commitment to boosting 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, made strong by joint coordination across all levels, including the signing of over 148 bilateral agreements and memoranda of understanding (MoUs) spanning various fields.
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