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Tong Fei, associate researcher, Institute of West-Asian and African Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; cartoon drawings by Liao Tingting

On July 19-21, Chinese President Xi Jinping paid a state visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the invitation of UAE President Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan. It's the first stop for Xi‘s first overseas trip after he was re-elected as president and the first visit to the UAE by a Chinese head of state in over 29 years.
 
During the visit, President Xi held talks with UAE Vice President and Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. Both sides agreed to lift bilateral ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership.

The Chinese president was accorded warm hospitality. As soon as his plane entered the UAE's air space, it was escorted by 12 fighter jets. Xi and his wife, Peng Liyuan, were greeted by a grand welcoming ceremony at the airport. Xi was also bestowed with the Order of Zayed, the UAE's highest honorary medal and received a prized pure-blood Arabian racehorse as the distinguished guest of the UAE royal family. The high-level reception demonstrated that Abu Dhabi attached great importance to his visit, writing a new epic for China-UAE ties.
 
During Xi's trip, the two countries agreed to upgrade their strategic partnership, which opened a new chapter for strengthening bilateral cooperation. Both sides also signed a number of agreements on implementing the cooperation projects under the Belt and Road Initiative, which provided a new model for the cooperation between China and Arab states.
 
President Xi's visit bears fruitful results, opening up new vistas for the bilateral ties  and writing a new chapter in building a China-UAE community of a shared future.

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