UAE and China Celebrate 40 Years of Strategic Partnership and Economic Growth
Marking 40 years of cooperation, the UAE and China deepen ties in trade, investment, and development
UAE and China Mark 40 Years of Strategic Partnership
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the People’s Republic of China will mark 40 years of diplomatic relations in 2024, reflecting a strong partnership that has driven significant milestones in economic development, trade and innovation. Built on shared goals and a commitment to sustainable development, their cooperation has evolved into a comprehensive economic partnership.
A key pillar of this relationship is the UAE’s active involvement in China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), leveraging its strategic location and advanced infrastructure to support regional trade and development.
Since 2013, the UAE has invested $10 billion in the China-UAE Joint Fund for BRI projects in East Africa and signed 13 MoUs in 2018 to expand cooperation in a range of sectors. As a founding member of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the UAE continues to play a leading role in infrastructure development.
Economic ties between the two countries are strong, with China being the UAE’s third-largest source of foreign direct investment (FDI), at $6.3 billion, and total bilateral investment expected to reach $15 billion in 2022.
In terms of non-oil trade, China is the UAE’s largest Arab trading partner, and the UAE is China’s top Arab trading partner. Non-oil trade is expected to exceed $50 billion in the first half of 2024, compared to estimates for the year of $100 billion.
Tourism is another area of thriving cooperation, with 1.2 million Chinese visitors expected to visit the UAE in 2023. More than 210 flights connect the two countries each month, highlighting their strong aviation ties.
In 2023, the UAE joined Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa in the BRICS group, underscoring its commitment to multilateral cooperation and its role in fostering global peace, development and economic growth.
As the UAE-China partnership continues to grow stronger, the relationship serves as a model of innovation, mutual prosperity and shared progress, reinforcing the two countries’ positions as leaders in global economic and strategic cooperation.
