China and the United Arab Emirates

In 2013, relations between the People's Republic of China and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) continued to maintain the momentum of sound growth, and mutually beneficial cooperation further deepened across the board.

The two countries carried out close exchanges at all levels and in various areas. In March, President Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan and the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al- Nahyan sent messages of congratulation respectively to President Xi Jinping on his election as the President. Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai Mohammed Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum sent a message of congratulation to Premier Li Keqiang on his election as the Premier. Speaker of Federal National Council Mohammed Ahmed Almurr visited China and had talks with NPC Chairman Zhang Dejiang. In September, Minister of Economy Sultan Bin Saeed Al-Mansouri attended the China- Arab States Expo 2013 in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. In addition, the two countries maintained sound communication and coordination in regional and international affairs.

Steady progress was made in bilateral cooperation in economy, trade, energy and finance. The UAE remained China's second largest trading partner and biggest export destination among West Asian and North African countries. China Construction Bank and Agricultural Bank of China opened branches in the UAE.

China and the UAE witnessed more dynamic exchanges in culture, education, aviation and tourism. The people of the UAE showed increasing interest in learning and understanding the Chinese culture, and the number of students at the two Confucius Institutes and the Chinese language school in Abu Dhabi continued to grow. Under the Young Ambassadors program sponsored by the General Office of the Crown Prince, outstanding young people from the UAE came to visit China. A number of new passenger and cargo air routes were opened. The number of Chinese tourists going to the UAE continued to grow, making China one of the main sources of tourists for the UAE.