ABU DHABI, 17th July, 2018 (WAM) — Dr. Sultan bin Ahmad Sultan Al Jaber, Minister of State and Chairman of the National Media Council, NMC, has said that the UAE and China have a long history of economic cooperation, which developed greatly under the Founding Father, late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who was keen to strengthen these important relations. He was a forward-looking visionary who recognised the important role China plays in the international community.
In his remarks on the occasion of the forthcoming visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to the UAE, Dr. Al Jaber further stated that today China is one of the most influential players in international relations, not only in the political and economic arenas, but also in many other spheres.
He stressed that the UAE leadership continues to build bridges of cooperation and communication with the international community. He noted that relations between the UAE and China have witnessed a substantial leap following the visit of His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces, to Beijing in December 2015.
“Our relationship with China is a long-term strategic one that encompasses a multitude of aspects; political, economic, cultural, social, tourism, among others,” he added. “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.”
Dr. Al Jaber stressed that the UAE is a country that cherishes its guests, stating that the UAE leadership, government and people were looking forward to welcoming President Xi on his forthcoming visit.
“This will be the first foreign visit by the Chinese President following his re-election,” he said, adding, “it confirms the important status the UAE has attained thanks to the vision of its wise leadership.”
The visit will contribute greatly to strengthening the strategic relations between the UAE and China, with the leadership of the two friendly countries having a common view on basic topics, the most important of which is that economic and social development is the basis for achieving security and stability in the region and the world, Al Jaber went on to say.
The leadership of the UAE and China are committed to working towards security, peace, stability, growth, prosperity and progress for humanity as a whole, he noted. “The strategic cooperation between the UAE and China aims to realise the interests of both countries across an array of fields, including politics, economy, trade, energy, technology, culture and tourism.”
He stressed that there is already tangible and substantive cooperation between the two countries in the energy sector, with a significant number of projects and initiatives already underway between the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company, ADNOC, and Chinese energy companies.
He added that China, along with other areas of Southeast Asia, is experiencing significant economic growth and is one of ADNOC’s major markets for the production and marketing of oil and gas, for refining and its derivatives, and for petrochemicals and their related industries.
He pointed out that the UAE is keen to expand ADNOC’s presence in China to meet the strong growth in demand for hydrocarbons. He said that the company already enjoys a significant presence in China through its subsidiary Borouge, which is issuing 1.2 ml tonnes of its polyolefin products per year to China, a third of Borouge’s global sales.
