DUBAI, Feb. 27 -- A trade delegation from the government-sponsored China Foreign Trade Center Group started Thursday a visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to lure Emirati businessmen to take part in the 115th China Import and Export Fair, known as Canton Fair, slated for April in southeast China's Guangzhou city.

Wang Runsheng, head of the visiting group, said at a media briefing in Dubai that the UAE has always been one of China's most trusted economic partners in the Mideast region, strategically serving as a transfer hub for Chinese products exported to the Mideast and nearby African markets.

"We encourage UAE businessmen to take part in this year's Canton fair which is the most effective way to develop the business relationships you need to succeed in China," Wang said, adding that the year of 2014 marked the 30th anniversary of the establishment of bilateral diplomatic ties between China and the UAE.

The Canton fair, which is scheduled to be held from April 15 to May 5, has seen the participation of over 210 countries and territories worldwide.