Abu dhabi: China urged the United Arab Emirates to "deepen cooperation" across traditional sectors, including oil and gas, as well as emerging industries. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is on a three-nation trip to the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan since Friday, made the remarks during a meeting with UAE Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Abu Dhabi, according to a statement from China's Foreign Ministry.
According to Anadolu Agency, Wang stressed Beijing's support for the UAE pursuing "a development path suited to its national conditions, safeguarding its national security and development, as well as playing a greater role in international and regional affairs." He emphasized China's willingness to strengthen high-level exchanges, consolidate political mutual trust, and elevate the level of bilateral relations.
Both sides are encouraged to advance the Belt and Road Initiative by deepening cooperation in traditional industries such as investment, energy, and infrastructure. They aim to expand collaboration in emerging areas and establish a production-capacity cooperation park to support high-quality development. Wang also expressed willingness to strengthen communication and coordination on multilateral platforms to uphold multilateralism and free trade.
"The UAE is a country in the Middle East with unique importance and influence. China's and the UAE's development strategies are compatible, the governance philosophies are similar, and the economies are highly complementary, making the two countries natural friends and partners," Wang stated.
Al Nahyan, in turn, affirmed that the UAE "firmly adheres to the one-China principle, firmly supports China in safeguarding its national sovereignty and territorial integrity and in achieving national reunification, and resolutely opposes external interference in China's internal affairs," as stated by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.
Al Nahyan expressed the UAE's willingness to maintain high-level exchanges with China and to expand cooperation in fields such as trade, investment, energy, science and technology, and education. He also expressed a willingness to deepen communication and coordination with China on multilateral platforms to promote "regional and global peace, stability, and prosperity," and to play a positive role in deepening relations between the regional countries and China.
The discussions also covered the situation in the Middle East, with a view towards the second China-Arab States Summit to be hosted by China next year.