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TEHRAN, July 19 - Chinese President Xi Jinping was to arrive Thursday in Abu Dhabi on his first trip to the United Arab Emirates as the leader of China at a time when the two countries look to strengthen trade ties and expand investment.
TEHRAN, Young Journalists Club (YJC) - It is Xi's first trip abroad since he was appointed to a second five-year term as president in March when he made a historic power grab by moving to abolish presidential term limits, allowing him to rule for as long as he wants.
China and the UAE conduct some $50 billion in annual trade and ahead of the trip, the UAE's ambassador to China said the country hopes that will double over the next decade.
The UAE, home to oil-rich Abu Dhabi and the skyscraper skylines of Dubai, also hosts some 200,000 Chinese expatriate workers, according to Emirati government statistics.
In recent years, the UAE has focused on boosting Chinese tourism to its seven-sheikhdom federation.
Some 1 million Chinese tourists visited in 2017, boosted by the UAE offering visas on arrival. Long-haul carriers Emirates and Etihad provide a crucial airlink between East and West.
China's state-run CNPC oil company has also bought interests in both onshore and offshore oil concessions in the UAE.
"Our relationship with China is a long-term strategic one that encompasses a multitude of aspects; political, economic, cultural, social, tourism, among others," UAE Minister of State Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber said in a statement. "The UAE-China relationship is rooted in the principles of mutual respect, constructive dialogue and meaningful cooperation to achieve their common interests in a variety of sectors."
Ahead of Xi's arrival, the country kicked off an official "UAE-China Week" featuring cultural events and entertainment, which officials say they plan on making an annual event, AP reported.
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