4. UAE-China relations
On November 1, 1984, China and Afghanistan established diplomatic relations. Since the establishment of diplomatic relations, the relations between the two countries have developed smoothly, with high-level and personnel exchange visits at all levels, and the friendly cooperation between the two parties in various fields has been deepened.
In November 1985, Deputy Prime Minister Yao Yilin led a government delegation to visit Afghanistan and signed an agreement on economic, trade and technical cooperation between the governments of the two countries.
Arab Minister of Economics and Trade Jia Erwang visited China in November 1988, and the Chinese Minister of Economics and Trade Zheng Tuobin visited Afghanistan in November 1989. During the visits of the two ministers, the first and second sessions of the China-Arab Economic and Trade and Technical Cooperation Committee were held in Beijing and Abu Dhabi. In December 1989, President Yang Shangkun visited Afghanistan.
In May 1990, UAE President Zayed paid a friendly visit to China. The exchange of high-level visits has brought the friendly cooperation between the two countries to a new stage, and the trade exchanges between the two countries have further developed during this period.
In July 1993, Vice Premier Li Lanqing visited the UAE. The follow-up Assistant Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Tian Runzhi co-chaired the third meeting of the joint government, economic and trade, and technical cooperation committee of the two countries. The third session of the joint economic and trade committee of the two countries was held, and the two countries' investment protection agreement and double taxation avoidance agreement were formally signed.
In May 1996, Vice Premier Wu Bangguo visited the UAE. Assistant Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Xu Bingjin visited Afghanistan in March 2000 to cut the ribbon for the exhibition of the Sharjah China Electromechanical Exhibition Center. Hu Meide, Minister of Planning, visited China in April 2001. Sun Guangxiang, Vice Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation, visited the UAE in November 2001 to cut the ribbon for the Sharjah China Engineering Exhibition. State Councilor Wu Yi led a Chinese government delegation and an entrepreneur delegation to the UAE in March 2002 and delivered a speech to the local business community, introducing China's foreign trade policy and situation. In June 2002,
In December 2002, Vice Minister of Foreign Trade and Economic Cooperation Wei Jianguo visited Afghanistan, met with Sharjah Crown Prince Sheikh Sultan Kasimi, and jointly cut the ribbon for the opening ceremony of Sharjah China Commodities Fair.
From March 31 to April 3, 2008, Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum paid an official visit to China.
From August 12 to 14, 2009, Abu Dhabi Chief King Mohammed paid an official visit to China, and the two countries decided to establish a political consultation mechanism. In the same month, President Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan issued a federal government order to open the UAE Consulate General in Shanghai, China. The UAE has an embassy in Beijing and a consulate in Hong Kong.
On September 15, 2009, the UAE officially became a tourist destination for Chinese citizens traveling out of the country, and the Arabian myth of a thousand and one nights became a reality.
In January 2012, Premier Wen Jiabao paid an official visit to the UAE, and the two sides signed a joint statement to establish a strategic partnership, marking that the friendly cooperation between the two parties in various fields has reached a new level, and the bilateral relationship has entered the "fast lane". It shows the characteristics of all-round and multi-field cooperation. Since then, high-level visits between the two countries have been frequent, and close communication and coordination have been maintained on major regional and international issues. From March 27 to 29, 2012, Abu Dhabi Chief King Mohammed paid an official visit to China.
On November 1, 2014, President Xi Jinping and President Khalifa of the United Arab Emirates exchanged congratulatory messages to warmly celebrate the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.
The UAE actively responded to China's “Belt and Road” initiative and officially applied to become a founding member of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank in March 2015.
In December 2015, the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the UAE Armed Forces Muhammad Mukhoyed Al Nahyan visited China, and the two sides officially signed a US $ 10 billion Sino-Arab joint investment fund. A series of cooperation agreements including driver's license exchange, innovation, energy, education, quality inspection, finance, and aerospace have pushed China-Arab practical cooperation in various fields to a new height.
On December 14, 2015, Chinese President Xi Jinping met with Crown Prince Mohammed of Abu Dhabi, UAE in the Great Hall of the People
In November 2016, Algeria unilaterally announced that Chinese citizens holding ordinary passports are exempted from visas, and each tourist will directly save 500 yuan in visa fees. In 2016, the UAE received more than 800,000 Chinese tourists, a record high, and this number will increase significantly after visa exemption. In April 2017, China participated as the guest of honor at the 27th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair. During this period, the book "Xi Jinping on Administering the Country" was first published in the Gulf countries.
