Media

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, met with Vice President of the People's Republic of China, Wang Qishan, today.

The meeting was held on the sidelines of the second day of his official visit to Beijing heading the UAE delegation which consists of a high-power delegation to attend the opening session of the "Belt and Road Conference for International Cooperation", scheduled to conclude tomorrow.

The meeting tackled the future of cooperation between the UAE and China in the light of the continued discussions that came as part of the two discussion sessions between His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid and Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang.

They emphasised the importance of the role played by the UAE as a strategic partner for China in carrying out "The Road and Belt Initiative".

The parties agreed to work towards a new phase of economic partnership and cooperation, especially in trade and tourism, encouraging investments and accelerating new opportunities for the UAE private sector and its Chinese counterpart. The UAE provides foreign direct investment, with 36 percent of them in the Arab world with a total investment of US$10.35 billion in 2017.

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid expressed the appreciation of the UAE for the key role played by China globally with all its cultural, political and economic weight. He stressed that the visit of President Xi Jinping to the UAE last year enhanced the future partnership between the two countries, given the UAE's endeavours to develop cooperation in various fields, especially economic, scientific, technological and cultural domains.