The three-day visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to the UAE has marked an important milestone in the relations between the two countries and paved the way for a more robust growth and development on the economic and cultural fronts. It's arguably the beginning of a new era that'll help expand horizons and see stronger collaboration. The relevance of the visit can be seen through a series of accords that have been signed, 13 to be precise, ranging from cooperation in economic and financial fields, political, education, science, technology, innovation, infrastructure and much more. There's no denying that the two sides see each other as natural partners in growth, and trust each other with their plans. As the centre of gravity of power fast shifts from the West to the East, with China, India, Japan, the Arab world and the Asean at its centre, such strong alliances will only speed up this transition.

China's grand plans and its ambitious Belt and Road Initiative will rewrite trade relations, and the UAE could be its crucial partner in the region. The UAE is already a modern crossroad between the East and the West and has the infrastructure in place to support more trade. Moreover, the UAE supports many of China's initiatives and is a founding member of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, a Beijing-headquartered institute set up to support development efforts in Asia. Economically, the relations between the UAE and China are unique. Annual trade exchange between the two nations is more than $53 billion. About 70 per cent of China's exports to the Gulf, Africa and East Asia go through the UAE. People to people exchange, too, is increasing as the UAE is home to over 200,000 Chinese, and this is expected to increase further with the UAE's relaxed visa rules. Alliances make nations stronger and offer opportunities that can only flourish through cooperation. China and the UAE have struck the right notes during this state visit, and are set to work more closely than ever.


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